The European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne is preparing for a new growth phase as plans move forward for a new building that will significantly increase its capacity and strengthen its role at the heart of Europe’s space exploration efforts
A recently signed Letter of Intent (LoI) between the European Space Agency (ESA), the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) marks the official start of this development.
A new hub for European space exploration
The EAC currently hosts the European Astronaut Corps and supports many human and robotic exploration programmes, but its existing facilities have reached full capacity. The ESA and its regional partners will construct a new building adjacent to the current centre on the DLR campus in Cologne. This addition will allow the EAC to nearly triple its workforce on-site.
Once completed, the facility will become the main base for ESA’s Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration. This marks a significant shift, as part of the directorate’s workforce will be relocated from the Netherlands to Germany. Centralising these teams in Cologne is expected to streamline operations and consolidate expertise within Europe’s expanding space exploration ecosystem.
Investment in growth and innovation
The new building, scheduled for delivery by the end of 2028, has a total budget of 20 million euros. ESA and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia will share costs equally, reflecting their mutual commitment to strengthening Europe’s presence in space research and exploration.
This investment is not only expected to boost ESA’s operational capacity but also to generate highly skilled jobs in the region. Cologne’s positioning as a space hub will be reinforced, offering opportunities for collaboration between research organisations, industry partners, and international space agencies.
Europe’s human and robotic exploration capabilities
By expanding its infrastructure in Cologne, ESA aims to create better conditions for future missions and astronaut training programmes. Bringing more of its exploration workforce together at the EAC will support the development of advanced mission planning, astronaut preparation, and technological innovation across Europe.
By making this expansion, Germany is continuing to grow its role within ESA at a crucial moment, just ahead of the ESA Ministerial Council meeting in Bremen. Consolidating activities in Cologne is expected to bolster European leadership in human and robotic spaceflight and provide an integrated environment where training, research, and mission planning coexist.
A boost for the Cologne space community
The DLR site in Cologne already plays a vital role in European aerospace, particularly in research related to space medicine and exploration. The addition of the new ESA building will further strengthen the Space Hub Cologne initiative, which aims to foster collaboration between research institutions, startups, and established aerospace companies.
Integrating ESA’s expanding exploration directorate into this environment is expected to accelerate scientific progress and support the development of new technologies essential for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The signing of the LoI took place at the LUNA facility, a jointly owned ESA–DLR building used for analogue mission training.
