Ship Your Parcel To Outer Space?

Oct. 2, 2008
In what must be the most unusual shipment handled by DHL this year, it will assist students in a package experiment by delivering packages of the same size but varying weights to the International Space Station

In what must be the most unusual shipment handled by DHL this year, it will assist students in a package experiment by delivering packages of the same size but varying weights to the International Space Station.

Developed together with Germany’s “Youth Research,” the largest youth competition in Europe for natural sciences, mathematics and technology, and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the experiment will aim to establish whether model packages of the same size but varying weights will travel at the same speed under zero gravity conditions.

On October 12, DHL will load a Russian Soyuz rocket with the experiment in DHL packaging to the ISS. The test will be conducted on board the space station by the American astronaut Richard Garriott, son of the former Apollo astronaut Owen Garriott.

“DHL has underscored its commitment to be the pioneer in global logistics with its support for this project, which will mark yet another first in the company’s exciting history,” said Garry Kemp, regional director of DHL Express in the CIS and South East Europe.

Prior to the launch, on September 12, thirteen promising young scientists were meeting up in the DHL Innovation Center in Bonn to predict the result of the space trial using physical-mathematical calculations. With this initiative, DHL is promoting young talents, in line with the company’s stated commitment to education and innovation. DHL will present the students that come closest to predicting the results of the experiment with a scholarship for their further education. The Youth Research foundation will also receive support of around $44,000 through the sale of promotional DHL packages in Europe.

“For us, it is especially important to give young people purposeful direction at an early stage and to motivate them to align their professional development with their scientific abilities. Through sponsorship initiatives such as that of DHL, young people are also given the opportunity to make new contacts that they can use later on to support their studies or work,” explains Dr Daniel Giese, Head of Communications at the “Youth Research” foundation.

Other DHL articles:

DHL Executive Testifies on UPS Deal
DHL Strengthens Global Network
DOT Won’t Stop the DHL-UPS Deal

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