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 with currently 45 employees. 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 parabolic flights and experiments under microgravity conditions are manifold – whether in atmosphere research, astronomy, geophysics, material sciences or hypersonic research. MORABA has developed a unique mobile infrastructure and hardware for the planning, preparation and implementation of sounding rocket 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.
MORABA supports the scientific research community with the development of commercially unavailable, high-performance and cost-effective high-altitude and high-speed research vehicles. To achieve this goal, MORABA is collaborating with national and international institutional organizations such as DCTA/IAE (Brazil), Swedish Space Corporation (EuroLaunch, SSC), DST Group (Australia) and commercial entities like MT Aerospace (OHB, Germany) and Bayern-Chemie (MBDA, Germany).