I noticed there have been no posts under Germany's space history so I thought it would be a good idea to detail some of Germany's biggest achievements when it comes to space exploration. Germany has a long history of contributions to the field of space science and technology. The country has been involved in many space missions, both through its own national space agency, DLR (Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt), and as a partner in international collaborations.
One of Germany's most notable achievements in space is the development of the ROSAT satellite. Launched in 1990, ROSAT was the first German-led space mission and the first satellite to conduct a detailed all-sky survey in the X-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The data collected by ROSAT has been used to study a wide range of astronomical objects, including stars, galaxies, and clusters of galaxies.
Another significant achievement for Germany was the development of the DLR-built Mars Express orbiter, which was launched in 2003 as part of the European Space Agency's Mars exploration program. The orbiter successfully surveyed the planet's surface, subsurface, and atmosphere, and discovered evidence of water ice on Mars. The orbiter is still operational today and continues to provide valuable data on the red planet.
Germany has also been involved in various international collaborations, including the European Space Agency's (ESA) Galileo navigation system, which is an alternative to the US GPS system. The Galileo program was initiated in the late 1990s and is to be completed by 2020. Germany plays a vital role in the program, providing key technologies and infrastructure for the system.
In recent years, Germany has also been investing heavily in the field of space technologies for Earth observation, for instance with the TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X radar satellites, which have been used for a variety of applications such as land-use mapping, disaster management, and monitoring of global change.
To sum it all up, Germany's contributions to the field of space exploration are substantial and continue to advance our understanding of the universe. With ongoing projects and future plans, Germany's role in space exploration is sure to remain prominent.