Hessen is one of Germany’s 16 Länder and is located right in the heart of Germany and Europe, hosting the geographical center of EU-27 as well as the European Central Bank, the Frankfurt Airport and the economically strong FrankfurtRhineMain region – Germany’s hub for industrial and special applications software, as well as the center for optics and optoelectronics. The region further includes the Science City of Darmstadt, home to TU Darmstadt, one of Germany’s leading technical universities, as well as numerous national research organizations like the Fraunhofer–Institutes for IT Security and Computer Graphics.
Hessen is one of Europe’s key regions for space operations, hosting two key European space institutions: the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) of the European Space Agency (ESA), and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). The region is also home to the Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), the German air traffic control authority, the Deutsche Wetterdienst (DWD), Germany’s National Meteorological Service, as well as the Centre for Satellite Navigation Hesse (cesah). CESAH, supported by the State of Hessen, the City of Darmstadt and leading academic and industrial partners, serves as a competence, information and incubation center for space technologies, especially in the field of satellite navigation and related applications. As part of the ESA Business Incubation Initiative, it supports the development of innovative business ideas and satellite navigation start-ups.
In addition to its strong institutional presence, Hessen has become an important hub for space-related industry and technology. A wide range of companies in the region, such as Harmonic Drive, Celanese, Heraeus, Pfeiffer Vacuum, Hexagon Metrology, Schunk Group and Telespazio Germany, contribute to international missions with precision components, specialized materials, mission-critical software and satellite-communication systems.
To further strengthen its commitment, Hessen appointed Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johann-Dietrich Wörner, former Director General of ESA, as Space Coordinator in 2021.
Underlining its strategic vision, Hessen was the first German state to adopt a dedicated Space Strategy in 2022, establishing a framework for space-related innovation and engagement at regional, national, and European levels.
