German Aerospace Center (DLR) officially announced the creation of a new Center for Control and Research of Manned Missions (HECC) in Oberpfaffenhofen (near Munich).
The main details of the project:
Appointment: Management of future manned and robotic missions to the Moon and Mars.
Financing: The total amount of investments is 78 millions of euros. Of them 58 million euros allocated by Bavaria, but 20 million euros — DLR itself.
Role in the Artemis program: The center will play a key role in the operations of the European modules of the Lunar Gateway station (including I-HAB and ESPRIT).
Strategic importance: The creation of HECC aims to ensure the technological independence and strategic autonomy of Germany and Europe in the development of deep space.
Base: The new facility will expand the existing German Space Operations Center (GSOC), which has been leading missions in low Earth orbit for decades.
In addition to the control center, DLR has already launched the Moon-Mars test site to test robotic explorers in realistic conditions.
Source: https://www.spacedaily.com