Matthias Maurer spent 175 days on the International Space Station ISS, where he was responsible for more than 100 scientific experiments. About a year ago, the ESA astronaut launched to the ISS as a member of the Space-X Dragon Experience crew, landing on Earth on May 1, 2022. The Saarland-born astronaut now told the students about this great experience in the Aula of the main RWTH building. For Maurer, it was a return to university after many years. Maurer earned his doctorate in materials science from RWTH’s Institute of Surface Engineering in 2004, and he’s been closely tied to his alma mater ever since: he even carried three RWTH patches into space, designed as the emblems of mission that the crew members wear on their space suits.
18 years later, the astronaut took the audience, largely physics students and students from the Institutes of Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Design (SLA), Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT), Textiltechnik (ITA), into a narrative journey in space. Maurer spoke to this new generation of students about the fascination with space and the goosebumps he still gets from looking at photos of his journey through space.
“Being an astronaut is easy, but becoming an astronaut is very, very difficult. But there are many opportunities for all of you to take an active role in spaceflight,” he says. Maurer’s path in space was not straight. Initially, he received a rejection letter, it took patience and determination on his part to enter the program. But then, he finally achieved his dream of become an astronaut, and he even participated in a spacewalk outside the ISS.
The materials specialist showed photos of his labs; especially the metal experiments were impressive. Even a seasoned astronaut has a dream, and he certainly shares it with some students from Aachen: to travel to the moon and set foot on this mystical place.
Maurer is already involved in the European lunar program, and he encouraged RWTH students to first look to Cologne, where the German Space Agency is located, and then to go into space. A lunar training facility is currently being built there, which will offer future astronauts – and even student teams – the opportunity to walk on a simulated moon, including a lunar dust simulant, type lighting moon and a simulation of weightlessness.
The Moon – A research focus at RWTH
The moon is also an object of research here at RWTH, as evidenced by the presentation of the MoonFibre and MoonFactory research projects. SLA, ITA and AMT have joined forces to investigate the mining and processing of regolith on the moon. SLA, ITA and AMT have joined forces to investigate the mining and processing of regolith on the moon. However, these are not the only space-related activities at RWTH.
During Matthias Maurer’s visit to RWTH, there was also a presentation on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02), a state-of-the-art particle physics detector operating on the ISS, whose successor, the AMS- 100, is currently being developed by an international team of researchers, including scientists from RWTH.
In addition, the iBOSS satellite module was presented, resulting from a research project at SLA (2010 to 2018). The idea, which aims to make space travel more sustainable, was brought to market by a University spin-off company. Maurer, an RWTH alumnus, supports the idea behind the project: “In the future, we must avoid leaving debris in space, and we must start removing waste from space. We need new ideas to achieve this,” he said, recounting how the ISS had to perform a debris avoidance maneuver while there. The space station had to be moved to a lower orbit for the first time to avoid colliding with a debris field. Maurer himself experienced the disturbing incident, which sounds like something out of a Hollywood movie. Remembering that moment, he seems happy to have solid ground under his feet again here in the main building of RWTH Aachen University.
Matthias Maurer spent 175 days on the International Space Station ISS, where he was responsible for more than 100 scientific experiments. About a year ago, the ESA astronaut launched to the ISS as a member of the Space-X Dragon Experience crew, landing on Earth on May 1, 2022. The Saarland-born astronaut now told the students about this great experience in the Aula of the main RWTH building. For Maurer, it was a return to university after many years. Maurer earned his doctorate in materials science at RWTH’s Surface Engineering Institute in 2004, and he’s been closely tied to his alma mater ever since: He even carried three RWTH patches into space, designed as the mission emblems that members crew wear on their spacesuits.
18 years later, the astronaut took the audience, largely physics students and students from the Institutes of Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Design (SLA), Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT), Textiltechnik (ITA), into a narrative journey in space. Maurer spoke to this new generation of students about the fascination with space and the goosebumps he still gets from looking at photos of his journey through space.
“Being an astronaut is easy, but becoming an astronaut is very, very difficult. But there are many opportunities for all of you to take an active role in spaceflight,” he says. Maurer’s path in space was not straight. Initially, he received a rejection letter, it took patience and determination on his part to enter the program. But then, he finally achieved his dream of become an astronaut, and he even participated in a spacewalk outside the ISS.
The materials specialist showed photos of his labs; especially the metal experiments were impressive. Even a seasoned astronaut has a dream, and he certainly shares it with some students from Aachen: to travel to the moon and set foot on this mystical place.
Maurer is already involved in the European lunar program, and he encouraged RWTH students to first look to Cologne, where the German Space Agency is located, and then to go into space. A lunar training facility is currently being built there, which will offer future astronauts – and even student teams – the opportunity to walk on a simulated moon, including a lunar dust simulant, type lighting moon and a simulation of weightlessness.
The Moon – A research focus at RWTH
The moon is also an object of research here at RWTH, as evidenced by the presentation of the MoonFibre and MoonFactory research projects. SLA, ITA and AMT have joined forces to investigate the mining and processing of regolith on the moon. SLA, ITA and AMT have joined forces to investigate the mining and processing of regolith on the moon. However, these are not the only space-related activities at RWTH.
During Matthias Maurer’s visit to RWTH, there was also a presentation on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02), a state-of-the-art particle physics detector operating on the ISS, whose successor, the AMS- 100, is currently being developed by an international team of researchers, including scientists from RWTH.
In addition, the iBOSS satellite module was presented, resulting from a research project at SLA (2010 to 2018). The idea, which aims to make space travel more sustainable, was brought to market by a University spin-off company. Maurer, an RWTH alumnus, supports the idea behind the project: “In the future, we must avoid leaving debris in space, and we must start removing waste from space. We need new ideas to achieve this,” he said, recounting how the ISS had to perform a debris avoidance maneuver while there. The space station had to be moved to a lower orbit for the first time to avoid colliding with a debris field. Maurer himself experienced the disturbing incident, which sounds like something out of a Hollywood movie. Remembering that moment, he seems happy to have solid ground under his feet again here in the main building of RWTH Aachen University.
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