"Going to infinity"

Endlessly vast, mysterious and unexplored in many ways: outer space. Similar to our Ambassadors Tom and Sahar, many young people are fascinated by exploring the mysteries that the universe beyond our Earth brings with it.

Getting to the bottom of these secrets does not necessarily require a degree and training as an astronaut. Instead, a number of other fields play an important role in many applications that may have their origins in space research, yet which we use every day, such as satellite navigation. Geologists, technicians, and chemists, for example, are also needed in the space industry.

TU Darmstadt offers plenty of projects which combine various courses of study with the topic of space for people interested in space research. One such project was the Unite! module's “INSPIRED” course , which lasted several weeks and involved students from various Unite! partner universities working together to plan a greenhouse that would be brought to Mars and supplement the space crew's diet. Organized by the departments of Biology, Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering, the project brought together international students from more than 20 disciplines who managed to successfully achieve their goal together in just three weeks.

Sounds pretty spaced out, doesn't it? You can gain multifaceted insights into space research in the following study programmes:

If being an astronaut and flying through space has always been your dream career, then you are in the right place. At TU Darmstadt you are offered something very special: the proximity to the European Space Agency (ESA), because one of its operational centers, the European Space Operations Center, or ESOC, is located in Darmstadt. ESA's main task is to coordinate European space activities on a peaceful basis and to advance space research for the future.

Research in space on topics such as equilibrium, aging or even plants and bacteria is the main task of astronauts. It is hoped that the research will provide new insights into life on Earth. Insa Thiele-Eich, a German meteorologist and astronaut candidate who could become the first German woman to fly into space through the initiative Die Astronautin (The Astronaut), for example, conducts basic research for improved weather and climate forecasts. She shows you what that might look like on Instagram!

To become an astronaut, you need a very good university degree in a natural or engineering science and at least three years of professional experience as a pilot. Is becoming an astronaut the right career for you? More information about requirements such as medical, physical and psychological guidelines can be found on the ESA website.

The connections between TU Darmstadt and ESA are numerous. For example, the former President of TU Darmstadt, Prof. Johann-Dietrich Wörner, was Director General of ESA until 2021. And there are also various opportunities during studies to gain insights into the work of the European Space Agency. Through the lecture series “Space @ TU Darmstadt”, students can learn more about interdisciplinary and socially relevant aspects of spaceflight and actively participate in the selection of topics and organization of the events. The lecture series is held in cooperation with ESA and was initiated by Cooperation Professor Reinhold Bertrand, who also holds the position as Head of ESA's Research and Technology Management Department.

The topic of space is not only found as part of the curriculum at TU Darmstadt. It is also possible to actively engage with this topic via university groups and to get in touch with like-minded students.

Our Ambassador Tom has been a member of TU Darmstadt Space Technology e.V. (TUDSaT e.V.), a university group for students of all disciplines who are enthusiastic about the topic of space travel, since his bachelor studies. They offer various interdisciplinary projects to give students some first impressions of working in space during their studies. These projects include working on the development of their own CubeSat (small satellite) as well as insights into rocket technology.

TU Darmstadt offers you a variety of opportunities to turn your dream of “studying space” into reality – be it through the specialization of your course, interesting lectures by ESA employees or thanks to exciting projects such as the university group TUDSaT, through which you can participate in experiments and make contact with like-minded people. There is something for everyone – what will you choose?