Exploring the Latest in Space at ILA 2026

The International Air and Space Exhibition (ILA) takes place in Berlin every two years, showcasing cutting-edge advancements in aerospace. This year, I had the opportunity to attend the event and conduct several interviews focusing on the latest developments in space exploration, including updates on the Artemis III mission featuring ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano and the mission of ESA reserve astronaut Aleš Svoboda. Additionally, insights were shared regarding the follow-up mission to the Earth observation program Sentinel-1, as well as missions Hera and Proba-3. The exhibition also delved into the historical context of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and its predecessor organizations.

I engaged with notable figures in the field, including ESA astronauts Matthias Maurer and Alexander Gerst, along with experts Magnus von Cramm, Daniel Neuenschwander, Simonetta Cheli, Dr. Jessika Wichner, and Dr. Dietmar Pilz.

Erschienen: 07.07.2026, Dauer: 1:17:01

Title Theme: Visit to ILA 2026

ILA 2026

• Website: ILA Berlin
• Wikipedia: International Air and Space Exhibition Berlin
• ESA: ESA at the International Air and Space Exhibition ILA Berlin 2026
• DLR: ILA 2026: Fascination DLR for the Future of Air and Space
• DLR Special Page for ILA 2026

Space Pavilion

• Interviewee: Magnus von Cramm (Head of Space, BDLI)
• European Space Agency (ESA)
  • Website: ESA
  • Website: ESA (English)
  • Wikipedia: European Space Agency (ESA)
• German Aerospace Center (DLR)
  • Website: DLR
  • Wikipedia: German Aerospace Center (DLR)
• Federal Association of the German Aerospace Industry (BDLI)
  • Website: Federal Association of the German Aerospace Industry
  • Wikipedia: Federal Association of the German Aerospace Industry

Developments in the Artemis Program

• Updates on Artemis III

  • ESA: ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano joins NASA’s Artemis III mission as pilot (English)
  • Video on YouTube: NASA’s Artemis III Announcement (English)
  • ESA: Luca Parmitano (English)
  • Wikipedia: Luca Parmitano

• Background on the Artemis Program

  • NASA: Artemis (English)
  • Wikipedia: Artemis Program
  • Wikipedia: Artemis 3
  • Wikipedia: Starship (The crewed landing is set to occur with the HLS.)
  • Wikipedia: SpaceX Starship (English) (The crewed landing is set to occur with the HLS.)
  • Wikipedia: Blue Moon (spacecraft) (English) (The crewed landing is set to occur with Mark 2.)
  • Wikipedia: Orion (spacecraft)
  • Wikipedia: Space Launch System
  • ESA: European Service Module (English)
  • DLR: European Service Module (ESM)
  • Wikipedia: European Service Module#European_Service_Module_(ESM)
  • Wikipedia: Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway
  • Auf Distanz 0078: The Return to the Moon, Artemis, and the ESM
  • Auf Distanz 0081: Artemis II – Before the Return to the Moon
  • Wikipedia: Apollo 9

• LUNA Analog Facility – Moon Training Facility in Cologne

  • Website: LUNA Analog Facility
  • ESA: Luna facility brings Moon to Earth (English)
  • DLR: Luna Analog Facility (English)
  • ESA: LUNA: Moon on Earth (English)
  • Wikipedia: LUNA Analog Facility
  • Auf Distanz episodes featuring contributions to the LUNA Analog Facility

• Statements from Dr. Josef Aschbacher (ESA Director General)

  • ESA: Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General (English)
  • Wikipedia: Josef Aschbacher

• Interviewee: Dr. Matthias Maurer (ESA Astronaut)

  • ESA: Mattias Maurer
  • ESA: Matthias Maurer (English)
  • DLR: Matthias Maurer
  • Wikipedia: Matthias Maurer
  • Auf Distanz 0050: Matthias Maurer (with my first long interview with Matthias Maurer)
  • Auf Distanz: all interviews with Matthias Maurer

• Interviewee: Dr. Alexander Gerst (ESA Astronaut)

  • ESA: Alexander Gerst
  • DLR: Alexander Gerst
  • Wikipedia: Alexander Gerst

Mission of ESA Astronaut Aleš Svoboda

• Interviewee: Daniel Neuenschwander (ESA Director for Robotic and Human Exploration)
  • ESA: Daniel Neuenschwander, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration (English)
• ESA: The ESA signs an agreement on behalf of the Czech Republic with Vast
• ESA: Aleš Svoboda (English)
• Wikipedia: Aleš Svoboda (astronaut) (English)
• Website: Vast (English)
• Wikipedia: Vast)
• Wikipedia: PAM-6 (English)
• Wikipedia: Private Astronaut Mission (PAM) (English)
• Auf Distanz episodes featuring contributions to the ESA astronaut class of 2022
• ESA: Thomas Pesquet (English)
• Wikipedia: Thomas Pesquet
• Further Mentions
  • Website: Axiom Space (English)
  • Wikipedia: Axiom Space
  • Wikipedia: PAM-3 – Axiom Mission 3 (English)
  • Wikipedia: PAM-4 – Axiom Mission 4 (English)
  • ESA: Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (English)
  • Wikipedia: Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski

Leaks on the International Space Station (ISS)

• Interviewee: Daniel Neuenschwander (ESA Director for Robotic and Human Exploration)
  • ESA: Daniel Neuenschwander, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration (English)
• NASA: NASA Provides Update on Space Station Leak (English)

In-flight Call with ESA Astronaut Sophie Adenot

• Sophie Adenot (ESA Astronaut)

  • ESA: Sophie Adenot (English)
  • Wikipedia: Sophie Adenot

• Video from ESA: ILA Berlin 2026: in-flight call with ESA Astronaut Sophie Adenot

• Video on YouTube: ILA Berlin 2026: In-flight call with ESA Astronaut Sophie Adenot (English)

• Auf Distanz episodes featuring contributions to Sophie Adenot

Historical Context of DLR's Predecessor Organizations from 1907 to 1945

• Interviewee: Dr. Jessika Wichner (Head of Central Archive, DLR)
• DLR: Historical context of DLR's predecessor organizations from 1907 to 1945
• DLR: DLR presents results of the historical context of its predecessor organizations
• DLR: The Central Archive of DLR
• Cuvillier-Verlag: The History of the Predecessor of DLR from 1907-1945

Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-1 NG

• Interviewee: Simonetta Cheli (Director of Earth Observation Programs, ESA)
• Contract Signing for Sentinel-1 NG
  • ESA: ESA awards contract to build Sentinel-1 Next Generation satellites (English)
  • Thales Alenia Space: Thales Alenia Space awarded contract as prime contractor for two Copernicus Sentinel-1 NG Satellites (English)
  • Airbus: Airbus awarded contract for Copernicus Sentinel-1 NG radar instruments at ILA Berlin (English)
• Sentinel-1 and Copernicus
  • ESA: Sentinel-1: First mission for Copernicus
  • ESA: Sentinel-1 (English)
  • Copernicus: Sentinel-1 (English)
  • Wikipedia: Sentinel-1
  • Auf Distanz 0019: The Copernicus Program
• AIS
  • Wikipedia: Automatic Identification System
  • Website: EMSA – European Maritime Safety Agency (English)
  • Wikipedia: European Agency for Safety of Sea Traffic (EMSA)
• Thales Alenia Space
  • Website: Thales Alenia Space (English)
  • Wikipedia: Thales Alenia Space

Missions Hera and Proba-3

• Interviewee: Dr. Dietmar Pilz (ESA Director for Technology, Engineering, and Quality)
  • ESA: Dr. Dietmar Pilz, Director of Technology, Engineering, and Quality (English)
• Mission Hera
  • Website: Hera Mission (English)
  • ESA: Hera (English)
  • DLR: Hera – Planetary Defense Against Asteroid Impacts
  • European Space Agency Album on Flickr: Hera (English)
  • Wikipedia: Hera (Space Mission)
  • Wikipedia: Deimos (Mars Moon)
  • NASA: Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) (English)
  • Wikipedia: Double Asteroid Redirection Test
  • Wikipedia: CubeSat
  • Auf Distanz episodes featuring contributions to the Hera mission
  • Wikipedia: Impulse
  • Wikipedia: Conservation of Momentum
• Mission: Proba-3
  • ESA: Mission “Proba-3” (English)
  • MPS: PROBA-3 – Formation Flying with a View of the Sun
  • ESA: We’re back: Proba-3 ready for more science (English)
  • ESA Blogs: What happened to the Coronagraph? (English)
  • ESA Blogs: Back to formation flying! And a peek at Earth (English)
  • Wikipedia: Proba-3
  • Wikipedia: PROBA-3 (English)
  • Wikipedia: Corona (Sun)
  • Wikipedia: Coronagraph
• Further Mentions
  • Wikipedia: Lagrange Points
  • Auf Distanz 0084: Lagrange Points – Libration Points

Updates on Ariane 6

• Ariane 6 launches with more powerful booster engines: a new record for Europe
• ArianeGroup: Arianespace successfully launches 36 more Amazon-Leo satellites aboard an Ariane 64 with advanced boosters
• ESA: Europe’s largest solid-propellant rocket motors (English)
• Video from ESA: First Ariane 6 liftoff with most powerful boosters
• Video on YouTube: Ariane 6 flight VA269 – bigger and more powerful boosters (Official broadcast)
• Watch live: bigger booster, more powerful Ariane 6 launch
• Auf Distanz 0099: Ariane 6 – First Flight
• Auf Distanz 0085: Ariane 6 – Upper Stage Construction in Bremen

Up Close with Distance

My trip to Berlin was partially funded by listener support. Thank you for making it possible for me to seize such opportunities for the podcast, especially for costly travels like the one to ILA. Since the last episode, I received support from Sebastian, Karl-Matthias, Stephan, Norbert, Ralph Juergen, Sebastian, Franz, Clemens, Sven, Sascha, Peter, Martin, Tobias, Timo, Eric, and Chris.

In the spring, I acquired a used planetarium projector to use at events. The projector has been operational several times this year at Podstock and will certainly be present at the next one.

Coincidentally, an opportunity arose to purchase an inflatable planetarium dome at a reasonable price. I asked for assistance on Mastodon, and the responses were fantastic. By the editorial deadline for this episode, I had received support from Armin, Inga, Vera, Udo, Sascha, Tobias, Norbert, Jörn, Peter, Sebastian, Stefan, Swen, and Marco. Thank you for making this happen! The plan is to pick up the dome in early August, and it will surely be part of community events. If anyone would like to support further, all the information is available. Please indicate that your support is for the planetarium.

As I mentioned in the last episode, my spring was unexpectedly turbulent, and there were aspects I would have preferred to avoid. However, especially in the last two to three weeks, some things have come together beautifully, and I hope to regain more control over my time and energy.

Next, I will attend a conference on Mars research for Auf Distanz. Whether a direct episode will emerge from it is uncertain, but I will definitely bring back interesting material to work with. I also have a small slot at the conference to present this podcast.

The next episode is expected to be released shortly thereafter.

Copyright Notices

Episode Cover Image

Space Pavilion at ILA 2026 © Lars Naber, Auf Distanz