Current Projects

We work on the development of Microchannel Plate (MCP) detectors for future ultraviolet space missions. These detectors use cross-strip-anodes together with a Beetle-chip as readout device. The Beetle-chip is controlled by an FPGA.

GAVO - German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory

The German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO) is the German contribution to the IVOA (International Virtual Observatory Association), the international effort to create and expand the Virtual Observatory (VO). In the framework of the GAVO project, we provide several services, e.g. spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of non-LTE model atmospheres via the so-calledTheoSSA service.

JEM-EUSO

Jem-EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory onboard the Japanese Experiment Module) is a UV telescope, which will be docked to the International Space Station ISS. It will measure air showers which occur, when ultra high energetic cosmic ray particles hit the earth atmosphere.

Super-EUSO

The Super-EUSO mission is a proposed space based UV telescope for the detection of ultra high energy cosmic rays. The technique is comparable to the one of JEM-EUSO. However, this experiment is designed as a free flyer instead of being attached to the ISS. Therefore the altitude will be considerably higher, allowing to monitore a much larger amount of atmosphere. This mission is supposed to open the door for particle astronomy.

eRosita

eROSITA (extended Roentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array) is the first mission to scan the whole sky in the medium X-ray energy regime. eROSITA is located as one of two instruments on the satellite Spektrum-Rötgen-Gamma. A launch of the satellite is planned for the year 2012. The project is conducted and paid from the DLR and the MPG, in corporation with the Russian space agency Roskosmos.

IXO

IXO (International X-Ray Observatory) is a joint satellite project of ESA (European Space Agency), NASA (National Aeronautics and Science Administration, US) and JAXA ( Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), which arose from the XEUS (ESA) and Con-X (NASA) missions. It is a combination of several X-ray telescopes working in unison to generate the observing power of one giant telescope.

HESS I & II