Welcome to MORABA
The Mobile Rocket Base (“Mobile Raketenbasis” (MORABA)) is a department of Space Operations and Astronaut Training of the German Aerospace Center, based at the Oberpfaffenhofen site.
MORABA has been carrying out scientific sounding missions with unmanned rockets and balloons, and developing the mechanical and electrical systems required for such missions since the 60s.
The areas of application for sounding rockets are diverse and range from atmospheric research, astronomy, hypersonic research and technology testing to experiments in zero gravity.
MORABA has developed a unique mobile infrastructure and hardware for the planning, preparation and implementation of sounding projects. In principle, it can be used to launch a rocket from anywhere on Earth within a short space of time.
This experience and competence is valued and sought after by national and international facilities, industry and institutions of higher education.
- Mobile infrastructure for rocket launches and satellite TT&C
- Launch services
- Launch sites
- Technology and applications for suborbital missions
For detailled information on our services and mobile infrastructure please see the MORABA portfolio documents:
Current MORABA Gallery
MORABA News
Successful first flight of ‘Red Kite’
A joint project carried out by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and Bayern-Chemie has now succeeded in developing and qualifying a new solid-propellant rocket motor in the one-tonne class. On 13 November 2023, DLR’s Mobile Rocket Base (Mobile Raketenbasis; MORABA) department of DLR’s Space Operations and Astronaut Training facility launched the first research rocket to be powered by a single-stage ‘Red Kite’ motor from the Andøya Space Center in northern Norway.
HIFLIER Flight test at Esrange Space Center, Kiruna, Sweden
A team from Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt – Mobile Rocket Base (DLR-MORABA) and the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) conducted the launch of the Hypersonic Flight Research Experiment (HIFLIER) from the Esrange test center in Kiruna, Sweden.