Ulrich Walter
- Astronaut, Scientist, and Educator: Former NASA Shuttle astronaut and professor of astronautics at the Technical University of Munich, specializing in space technology, robotics, and systems engineering.
- Renowned Media Presenter and Author: Host of TV programs like Spacetimes and author of 11 books, including the bestseller All Hell Breaks Loose in the Black Hole.
- Esteemed Honors and Contributions: Recipient of the NASA Space Flight Medal, Bavarian Order of Merit, and Golden Wernher von Braun Medal. Active on councils and boards, mentoring future innovators.
Ulrich Walter's videos
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Ulrich Walter's 2025 biography
About Ulrich Walter
Ulrich Walter, born in 1954, is a full professor for astronautics at the Technical University at Munich, Germany.
After studying physics at the University of Cologne, he spent a year at the U.S. research laboratory Argonne National Laboratories, Chicago, then a year as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. From there he was appointed to the German Astronaut Team in 1987 and trained at the German Aerospace Center, DLR, in Cologne-Porz and at NASA’s Space Center in Houston until his Shuttle Mission D-2, April 26 – May 6, 1993. In 1994, he moved to the German Remote Sensing Data Center of DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich as project manager of the large-scale project “German Satellite Data Archive”. In 1998, he moved to the IBM Development Laboratory in Böblingen as Program Manager, where he was responsible for the development and consulting of IBM software products as Project Manager and Lead Consultant.
Since March 2003, he is heading of the Department of Astronautics at the Technical University of Munich and teaches and conducts research in the field of applied space technology and systems engineering. His focus is on real-time and service robotics using AI, in particular robotics assistance for the elderly (geriatronics). He researches and teaches systems engineering, the empirical science of developing and optimizing complex products and processes in companies.
As a trained project manager, he advises companies worldwide in this field, especially in the areas of quality and risk management.
Media Activities
From 1998 until 2003 he hosted the public science program MaxQ in 103 episodes on Bavarian TV. In 2011 he hosted the German TV series “On the Way through Space with Ulrich Walter” and other TV specials on National Geographic Channel. Since 2016 until to date the hosts the weekly space documentary Spacetimes in the German News Channel WeltTV evening program, also available on youtube. Between March 2013 and December 2016, he wrote weekly science columns on the news webpages of German News channel N24. He is the author of eleven books such as the illustrated book “In 90 Minutes around the Earth”, or the Spiegel bestseller “All hell breaks loose in the black hole.” He has published more than 150 scientific articles in various international journals. He regularly publishes astronautic articles in public media.
Ulrich Walter is:
- Bearer of the NASA Space Flight Medal
- Bearer of the First Class Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Bearer of the Golden Wernher von Braun Medal
- Bearer of the Bavarian Order of Merit
- Member of the Bavarian Ethics Council, responsible for robotics and AI
- Member of the Supervisory Board of Die Bayerische insurance company responsible for the company’s transformation processes and implementation of AI
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the Deutsches Museum
- Mentor of the Ulrich Walter School in Stuttgart
- Honorary professor at the Dragomanov National Pedagogical University of Ukraine
- Consultat Professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China
- Honorary doctorate from the National Technical University of Ukraine, Kiev, Russia.
He was elected “German Professor of the year 2008” in the class engineering sciences and informatics.
Ulrich Walter's 2025 talks & topics
How intelligent is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will radically change our world in the long term. But what exactly is AI? What is the current state of AI, and will it eventually match or even surpass human intelligence? Prof. Walter’s research focuses on space robotics and geriatronics, i.e. robotic assistance for a self-determined life in old age. As a member of the Bavarian Ethics Council, he advises the Bavarian government on AI issues.
From NewSpace to AI – What lies ahead?
We live in times of transformation. Technical innovations are changing our lives with increasing speed. How will robotics and AI influence our society? When and how will space tourism change our view of the world? Science astronaut Prof. Ulrich Walter heads the Chair of Space Technology at the Technical University of Excellence in Munich and, as a member of the Bavarian Ethics Council, advises the Bavarian government on technical innovation issues.
Disruptive Innovations – What lies Ahead?
Innovative developments have always been underestimated. Why is that? The talk will use illustrative examples to analyze the misperceptions that even experts are subject to. Based on NASA’s real space case studies, disruptive developments in the space sector (New Space), analysis of successful and failed business projects worldwide, and his work experience as a project manager at IBM, Prof. Walter will provide empirical guidelines on how we can better prepare for disruptive innovation.
The Darned Truth about the Future
What can we know about the future, in principle and according to science? Why has it always been misjudged, even by Nobel laureates and futurologists? This talk analyzes why we almost always misjudge the future and what causes our fears of the future. It explores what we can learn from this and how we can better prepare for the future.
NewSpace – Success and Ethos of a new Space Era
This talk will analyze the NewSpace movement, which is challenging traditional ways of doing space that are generally considered too expensive, time-consuming, and sluggish for inventive risk-taking. What can we learn from NewSpace’s disruptive innovations?
From Vision to Mission – Proven Project Management for Your Business
Based on specific case studies from NASA, his professional experience as a project manager at IBM, and the analysis of successful and failed business projects worldwide, Prof. U. Walter provides guidelines on how to identify, assess, and manage risks in your organization. Prof. Walter now teaches project and risk management at the Technical University of Munich.
One Team, One Dream – Risks included
The project team is the key to the success of an organizational project. How do you select people, how do you motivate them to work towards a common goal, and what are the risks of teamwork? This talk will share lessons learned from how space projects deal with these issues.
Space Flight – Pushing the Envelope
Space is the frontier of human exploration. It requires the best technology and the best people. A top-notch team is the key to mission success. How are astronauts selected? Original NASA and ESA astronaut selection tests are shown. This is followed by five years of training with detailed mission preparation, especially spacewalking activities, and elaborate training procedures to ensure mission success even in emergency situations. How does one motivate a team to train effectively for such a long time, culminating in a solid launch day with no room for error? The talk concludes with a mission to the International Space Station and what life is like aboard the ISS. (Optional: A photo tour of the Earth).
In 90 Minutes around the World
An entertaining talk based on my book of the same name tells the story of my Shuttle mission..
The Home Planet – A Picturesque Journey
NASA’s best images from space take you on a journey around the world.
Beam me up, Scotty – The Physics of Star Trek
An entertaining but scientifically sound talk about the possibility of warp drives, wormholes, teleportation, etc.
Hell Ride through Space and Time
Based on his Spiegel bestseller of the same name, astronaut Ulrich Walter takes the audience on a journey into space. Popular questions like: “What’s it like to launch?”, “What’s it like (eating, sleeping, toileting) on the space station?”, “Is it possible to travel to distant worlds?”, “Is it possible to travel with light – or faster than light?”
What the Hell is going on in a Black Hole?
Based on his Spiegel bestseller of the same name, this is a visionary and entertaining talk, rich in images, about a journey through the solar system and the universe, explaining Einstein’s ideas about the Big Bang, black holes, wormholes, the possibility of faster-than-light travel, and much more.
The Future of Mankind in Space
This visionary talk shows what the future of human life in the solar system could look like and how we could colonize our galaxy.
Are we alone in the Universe?
Are there any alien civilizations out there? What do they look like? Can we contact them through radio signals? Will we ever meet them?
Product Life Cycle Management for Senior Managers
Systems Engineering as a Body of Knowledge for Product Life Cycle Management. Principles of systems engineering. Macro and micro processes in product system design. Requirements engineering and the standard product development process. Product development models: From the US House of Quality to the European V-Model.
Project Management for Senior Managers
Basics of international project management standards: Requirements Engineering, Iron Triangle of PM, Resource Management, Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), Statement of Work (SoW), Project Plan, Project Schedule, Milestones and Reviews. Cost & Time Estimates, Risk Management, … .