Space Technology

Sustainability and Environment

04 March 2026

Clearing the skies: why space debris demands action now

As the number of satellites in orbit grows, so does the challenge of keeping space safe and sustainable. What was once a vast and largely empty domain is rapidly becoming congested with hazardous debris. Without coordinated action, the very infrastructure that underpins modern society is at risk. The growing debris problem requires collective efforts — including the Zero Debris Charter — aimed at securing the future of space.

Ariane 62 and 64 European launch systems.
Platform System Design

25 February 2026

R&D case: Wind tunnel modelling for Europe's Ariane 6 launch system

The development of the Ariane 6 launcher was geared towards creating a reliable, flexible, and competitive European launch system. NLR played an important role in this endeavour by providing wind tunnel models at various development stages.

10 February 2026

NLR People: Rik Bosma, achieving space ambitions through united efforts

In the series ‘NLR People’, we show you who the experts at the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre are, what drives them, and what they are working on behind the scenes. In this episode: Rik Bosma, R&D Engineer and programme leader for NLR’s knowledge programme Space for Defence and Society.

Safety and Human performance

16 December 2025

Cosmic radiation threatens the reliability of aircraft systems

Recently, a remarkable incident made the news: thousands of Airbus aircraft worldwide were grounded after cosmic radiation disrupted digital electronic systems. A problem long familiar in space applications is becoming increasingly relevant for aviation. Ongoing digitalisation is making modern systems more vulnerable to invisible radiation from space.

Space Technology

08 May 2025

Accelerated Dutch autonomy in space

The Hague, 8 May – TNO, NLR, and space industry association SpaceNed presented a proposal to the Secretary of State for Defence today to launch and further develop high-quality satellite systems. With government support, the national space sector aims to play a crucial role in preventing blindness and deafness to current and future threats.

ESA Galileo constellation
Space Technology

27 February 2025

Satellite navigation and PNT

NLR has expertise in Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), mainly focused on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) enabled applications. With experience in design, testing, and verification, our team of experts is well-versed in assessing GNSS performance and robustness. Our laboratory and field test facility is equipped with cutting-edge tools, including GNSS testing and simulation software, high-quality GNSS receivers, antennas, inertial navigation systems and software defined radio frontends. We also have the capability to test your equipment under various conditions, including jamming and spoofing.