History
| German space institutes | |||||||
| Years | Name | Abbr. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1907–1969 | Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt |
AVA | |||||
| 1927 | Verein für Raumschiffahrt e.V. |
VfR | |||||
| 1947–1948 | Arbeitsgemeinschaft Weltraumfahrt |
||||||
| 1948–1972 | Gesellschaft für Weltraumforschung |
GfW | |||||
| 1969–1989 | Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt |
DFVLR | |||||
| 1989–1997 | Deutsche Agentur für Raumfahrtangelegenheiten |
DARA | |||||
| 1989–1997 | Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) |
DLR | |||||
| 1997–Present | Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt |
DLR | |||||
| 1970–Present | Institut für Raumfahrtsysteme |
IRS | |||||
The modern DLR was created in 1997, but was the culmination of over half a dozen space, aerospace, and research institutes from across the 20th century.
The oldest predecessor organization of DLR was established by Ludwig Prandtl in Göttingen in 1907. This Modellversuchsanstalt der Motorluftschiff-Studiengesellschaft (MLStG; German for "Institute for Testing of Aerodynamic Models of the Powered Airship Society") later became the Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt (German for "Aerodynamics Laboratory" or "Aerodynamic Experimental Station"). In the 1940s the AVA funded Konrad Zuse's work on the computers Z3 and Z4.
In 1947 the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Weltraumfahrt ("Consortium on Space Flight") was formed, leading to the Gesellschaft für Weltraumforschung (GfW; German for "Society for Space Research") being formed in 1948.
In 1954, the Research Institute of Jet Propulsion Physics (FPS) was established at the Stuttgart airport.
What was later called the DLR was formed in 1969 as the Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DFVLR; German for "German Test and Research Institute for Aviation and Space Flight") through the merger of several institutions. These were the Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt (AVA), the Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL; German for "German Laboratory for Aviation"), the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DFL; German for "German Research Institute for Aviation") and (in 1972) the Gesellschaft für Weltraumforschung (GfW; German for "Society for Space Research").
In 1989, the DFVLR was renamed Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR; German for "German Research Institute for Aviation and Space Flight"). Also in 1989, the Deutsche Agentur für Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA; German for "German Agency for Space Flight Affairs") was created.
Following the merger with the Deutsche Agentur für Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA; German for "German Agency for Space Flight Affairs") on 1 October 1997, the name was changed to "Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt" (DLR), literally meaning "German Center for Aviation and Space Flight". The shorter translation "German Aerospace Center" is used in English-language publications.
Other German space organizations include the Institut für Raumfahrtsysteme (IRS; Institute for Space Systems), founded in 1970. This should not be confused with DLR's Institut für Raumfahrtsysteme located in Bremen. Also, significant contributions are made to the European Space Organization.
Read more about this topic: German Aerospace Center
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