Caro: New DLR supercomputer in Goettingen put into operation

With Caro (Computer for Advanced Research in Aerospace), the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has put one of the most powerful supercomputers in Germany into operation in Göttingen. With a maximum performance of 3.46 petaflops, it is one of the most powerful 150 systems in the world. It makes its debut in 149th place on the list of the 500 most powerful supercomputers. The high-performance computer is to be used in energy and transport research and calculate complex flow models. It cost 10.5 million euros and was installed in a new data center at the Society for Scientific Data Processing in Göttingen (GWDG).

Flow models for airplanes, wind turbines and trains

The new supercomputer in Göttingen is to be used at DLR, among other things, to develop new technology for more economical, environmentally friendly and safer flying. All properties and components of an aircraft can be modeled on the basis of precise physical and mathematical models. According to DLR, the supercomputer is also to be used in the development of spacecraft and the further development of trains. Another important field of research is the simulation of wind turbines of the future.

For the Society for Scientific Data Processing, Caro is already the second supercomputer to be among the 500 fastest in the world. The institution of the University of Göttingen and the Max Planck Society already operates Emmy+ for the North German Network for High- and High-Performance Computing (HLRN) – which is currently in 91st place in the Top500. Caro, in turn, is the sister system of the supercomputer of the same name, abbreviated Cara, which has been in use for DLR in Dresden since 2020. Cara comes to 1.75 petaflops and is also used for simulations in aerospace research.