Josef Aschbacher — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) since March 2021.
Served as ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes and head of ESA's Centre for Earth Observation (2016-2021).
Led activities for the European Earth observation programme, the Copernicus Programme, within ESA.
Began his career as a research scientist at the University of Innsbruck's Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics (1985-1989).
Holds a Master's degree and a PhD in natural sciences from the University of Innsbruck.
Introduced 'Agenda 2025' to strengthen ESA-EU relations and promote the commercialization of space.

Biography

Josef Aschbacher is the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), a position he has held since March 1, 2021. His international career in space spans over 35 years, encompassing roles at ESA, the European Commission, the Austrian Space Agency, the Asian Institute of Technology, and the University of Innsbruck.