How DLR's Mobile Rocket Base Propels Microgravity Science
Imagine a fully equipped research laboratory, purpose-built for a groundbreaking experiment. Now imagine that laboratory being fired into the sky on a rocket, where it conducts its science in the pure weightlessness of space before parachuting safely back to Earth. This is not science fiction; it is the daily reality for the teams at the Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA), a unique department of the German Aerospace Center (DLR). For nearly five decades, MORABA has been the silent workhorse behind Europe's access to space, providing invaluable minutes of microgravity that have fueled discoveries in materials physics, biology, and hypersonic research 1 4 .
Unlike static spaceports, MORABA's strength lies in its ability to bring the launch site to the experiment, operating from remote locations from the Arctic circle to the Australian outback 3 8 . This capability has made it an indispensable partner for researchers who need to escape Earth's gravity to answer fundamental questions. By offering regular, cost-effective flight opportunities, MORABA has launched not just rockets, but countless scientific careers and technologies, helping to springboard humanity's future in space 2 5 .
At its core, MORABA's mission is to facilitate sounding rocket missions. These are unmanned rockets that travel on a parabolic trajectory into space but do not achieve the velocity needed to enter orbit around Earth. Their flight profile is what makes them perfect for microgravity research.
6-13 minutes of high-quality weightlessness
Experiments safely returned via parachute
After a powerful launch, the rocket motor burns out and the payload module—carrying the experiments—separates and continues its ascent. For a precious six to thirteen minutes, this module is in freefall, creating a high-quality microgravity environment inside 5 8 . During this window, automated experiments run without the confounding influence of gravity. Finally, the payload re-enters the atmosphere and drifts down safely under a parachute, often being recovered by helicopter shortly after landing 5 .
Designing rocket structures, separation systems, and parachute recovery systems.
Developing onboard computers, data management systems, and attitude control systems.
Operating transportable telemetry stations and launch pads that can be set up around the globe 8 .
MORABA has been the backbone of numerous long-running and successful research programs, providing consistent access to space for decades.
| Program Name | Field of Research | Microgravity Duration | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEXUS (Technologische Experimente unter Schwerelosigkeit) | Materials science, fluid physics, biology | ~6 minutes | One of the earliest and most prolific microgravity programs 8 |
| MAXUS | Materials science | ~13 minutes | Longer microgravity time using a larger rocket 8 |
| MAPHEUS (Materialphysikalische Experimente unter Schwerelosigkeit) | Materials physics | ~6 minutes | DLR's dedicated programme for regular material science flights 5 |
| REXUS/BEXUS (Rocket/Balloon Experiments for University Students) | Student education and experiments | ~2-5 minutes | Enables university students to design and fly their own experiments 8 |
| SHEFEX (Sharp Edge Flight Experiment) | Hypersonic research, re-entry vehicle design | N/A (Re-entry focus) | Tests novel sharp-edged spacecraft designs for future spaceplanes 8 |
A standout example of the cutting-edge science enabled by MORABA is the MARS (Metal-based Additive manufacturing for Research and Space applications) experiment. Flown on the MAPHEUS-10 mission, which launched from the Esrange Space Center in Sweden in December 2021, MARS represents a bold step toward the future of manufacturing in space 5 .
The MARS experiment, a fully automated 3D printing module, was integrated into the MAPHEUS-10 payload section alongside six other experiments.
The 11-meter rocket lifted off, powered by a two-stage motor configuration, and soared to an altitude of 259 kilometers 5 .
After motor separation, the payload experienced approximately six minutes of microgravity. At this point, the MARS experiment automatically initiated its printing sequence.
The printer began depositing layers of metallic glass, building a small workpiece measuring about three by four centimeters in the void of space.
The payload landed via parachute and was recovered by helicopter. The 3D-printed component was then returned to the DLR Institute of Materials Physics in Space for detailed analysis 5 .
The MAPHEUS-10 mission was a resounding success. For the first time, the MARS experiment demonstrated the feasibility of 3D printing metallic glass in space 5 . The analysis of the printed part provided crucial data on how the manufacturing process and the final material properties are affected by the absence of gravity.
The MARS experiment was just one part of a diverse scientific manifest on its flight, showcasing the range of research possible on a single sounding rocket mission.
| Experiment | Field | Principal Investigator | Key Objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARTEC (AeRogel TEchnology for Cast alloys) | Materials Physics | DLR Institute of Materials Physics in Space | Study melting/solidification of aluminium alloys in microgravity to improve industrial casting 5 |
| MARS (Metal-based Additive manufacturing for R&Space) | Manufacturing Technology | DLR Institute of Materials Physics in Space | Demonstrate 3D printing of metallic glass components in space 5 |
| RAMSES (RAndom motion of MicroSwimmers Experiment in Space) | Materials Physics/Biology | DLR Institute of Materials Physics in Space | Study collective motion of synthetic "microswimmers" in zero-g to inform new active materials 5 |
| MExA - Trichoplax | Gravitational Biology | DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine | Film the movement of simple organisms (Trichoplax) to understand gravity perception 5 |
| MExA - Radiation Detectors | Radiation Biology | DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine | Test functionality of radiation monitors later used on NASA's Artemis I mission 5 |
Executing a successful experiment in the extreme environment of a rocket flight requires a suite of specialized equipment. MORABA has developed unparalleled expertise in creating and operating these crucial systems, which form the backbone of any sounding rocket campaign 4 8 .
Provides the thrust to propel the payload above 100 km altitude.
Creates the parabolic trajectory needed to achieve microgravity 5 .
Uses cold gas thrusters to control the orientation and spin of the payload.
Stabilizes the experiments, ensuring they are conducted in a controlled environment 8 .
The "brain" of the payload; controls experiment sequences and manages data.
Automates the entire mission after launch, as direct control from the ground is limited 8 .
Transmits experiment and housekeeping data in real-time to ground stations.
Allows scientists to monitor their experiment's health and receive data during flight 8 .
A transportable ground station that tracks the rocket and receives its data.
Gives MORABA the flexibility to launch from anywhere in the world 8 .
The work of MORABA, though often conducted far from the public eye, is foundational to the ecosystem of space exploration. The data gathered during those critical minutes of weightlessness directly inform larger orbital missions on the International Space Station and future voyages to the Moon and Mars 2 . Technologies tested on MORABA's rockets are already being integrated into the Artemis program, helping to ensure the safety and success of the next astronauts to walk on the lunar surface 2 5 .
From its beginnings in atmospheric research to its current role at the forefront of microgravity manufacturing and hypersonics, MORABA has consistently demonstrated that the path to major breakthroughs in space often starts with a short, focused journey on a suborbital rocket.
As humanity's ambitions in space continue to grow, the demand for the precise, reliable, and accessible services provided by this mobile launch team will only intensify. For 47 years and counting, MORABA has proven it is more than ready to lift those ambitions up, time and time again.