Internship - Design and commissioning of a wide-field telescope for ground station

DLR's Responsive Space Cluster Competence Centre (RSC³) in Trauen is a unique research facility in Germany that addresses in a holistic way the topic of Responsive Space. This exciting field of research deals with the question of how to respond faster, more flexibly and securely in space with the goal of increasing the overall resilience of critical infrastructures in space. To this end, innovative concepts and technologies are analyzed, developed and demonstrated at the RSC³.

What to Expect

The ground segment is concerned with space‑to‑ground communication and the observation of changes in space. The centrepiece of this is the optical ground station in the form of a reflector telescope at the site. Your task will be to extend the function of the ground station with a wide‑field telescope and a suitable software interface. The aim is to investigate the possibility of finding lost objects from the smaller field of view of the ground station with the attached wide‑field telescope. A continuation of the work as a final thesis is possible and desirable.

Your tasks

• Familiarisation with ground station hardware
• Designing the hardware and software interface of the telescope
• Commissioning of the sensors
• Function test and demonstration

Your profile

• Degree in a field related to aerospace (e.g., aerospace engineering, computer science, electrical engineering or a comparable degree program)
• Interest in astro imaging and/or space domain awareness
• Hands‑on mentality
• Basic Programming Skills

We look forward to getting to know you!

If you have any questions about this position (Vacancy‑ID 4942) please contact:

Dr. Marcus Thomas Knopp
Tel.: