Der erste Europäer auf dem Mond wird Deutscher | Walther Pelzer (DLR) | MISSION CONTROL

For half a century the Moon was considered a closed chapter – now it's the hottest destination in spaceflight, and Germany is no longer just along for the ride, it's part of getting there. 🌕 The European Service Module from Bremen is the propulsion module without which, right now, no human gets to the Moon – and that very module came close to being scrapped after the White House's "Skinny Budget." This video is part of the series: "MISSION CONTROL: PEOPLE BEHIND THE MISSION" The series about the people deciding Europe's path into space You'll find all interviews here: https://senkrechtstarter.net/ila-inte... Created in collaboration with ANSYS – part of Synopsys 🚀 DLR space chief Walther Pelzer explains how Germany saved it, why the first European on the Moon will carry a German passport – and why the most important moment of the coming weeks is a small rocket launch from Germany. This conversation took place live at ILA Berlin 2026. Dr. Walther Pelzer is Head of the German Space Agency at DLR – and the face of German spaceflight. His starting point: in the mid-2010s the Moon was still seen as a "cold, boring rock." It was the discovery of water ice at the south pole – and with it the basis for breathable oxygen and fuel produced on site – that turned it back into the hottest destination in spaceflight. In 2019, Germany decided to go from spectator to strong partner in the Artemis program. The most visible result: the European Service Module from Bremen, which made Artemis II possible and performed almost flawlessly – NASA's chief engineer called it the module nobody had to worry about. That very module was set to be cut in the White House's "Skinny Budget." The German delegation fought for it at the ESA Ministerial Council – successfully. Pelzer's conviction: the ESM remains a central element of the Artemis architecture and, for the foreseeable future, will be the only module that gets astronauts to the Moon at all. "Up to Artemis 6" will soon become 7, 8, 9, 10. On Artemis III, Luca Parmitano puts a European on board – good news for Pelzer. Even so, Germany deliberately turned down the offer for this particular flight: the focus stays on the first flight to the lunar surface – because the first European on the Moon should hold a German passport. And then there's the moment that, for Pelzer, overshadows everything: a successful orbital launch by ISAR Aerospace (and RFA). Germany pushed through the build-up of European microlaunchers against massive resistance. Only when a privately financed rocket actually reaches orbit does the monopoly turn into real competition – and Europe gains independent, reliable access to space. Also in the conversation: 🌕 The ESM from Bremen – nearly cut, and why it will soon go from Artemis 6 to 7, 8, 9, 10 🛰️ Artemis III with Luca Parmitano – and why Germany deliberately turned down the offer for this flight 🚀 ISAR Aerospace & RFA – the fight against the rocket monopoly and the launch Pelzer considers the most important of the coming weeks 💶 5.4 billion euros – how Germany took the lead at the ESA Ministerial Council in Bremen 🌑 The Lunar Gateway – why the US is pulling out and why Germany was skeptical back in 2019 💧 Water ice at the south pole – how the "boring rock" becomes fuel, breathable air, and a future economic zone 🔴 The Moon as a springboard to Mars – and the still completely unsolved psychological questions of a journey to Mars 👨‍🔬 Pelzer's own "Senkrechtstarter moment" – the encounter as a schoolboy that set everything in motion 🤝 SUPPORT THE CHANNEL Like what we do? Here's how you can support the channel: 🚀 Become a channel member: https://www.youtube.com/senkrechtstar... 👕 SENKRECHTSTARTER apparel & merch: https://shop.senkrechtstarter.net/ ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://paypal.me/senkrechtstarter (Please send as "Friends & Family") ⚖️ Disclaimer: All the links we post under the videos are meant to help you research the topics further or to show you where I got my information. This is our way of making the videos more transparent for you. We accept no liability for the content of external links. The operators of the linked pages are solely responsible for their content.