Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: Barbara David

Image credit: Barbara David

Image credit: Barbara David

Trying to shape an ambitious and steady agenda for space in Europe requires not only diplomatic aplomb but also the need for firm engineering and scientific footing. Indeed, those attributes are must haves in working with the 22 member states of the European Space Agency (ESA).

An ESA Council Ministerial Meeting is designed to shape Europe’s overall space action-plan between member states.
(Image credit: ESA – S. Corvaja)

Josef Aschbacher is ESA’s Director General, taking on that role in March 2021. He is responsible for evolving Europe’s space infrastructure, from launchers and spacecraft performing Earth observation, navigation, and telecommunication duties to robotic exploration, as well as ESA astronauts dispatched to the International Space Station.

In an exclusive interview, I discussed with Aschbacher what’s ahead for ESA during the recent Space Foundation’s 39th Space Symposium.

Go to my new Space.com story – “Mars exploration, new rockets and more: Interview with ESA chief Josef Aschbacher” – at: https://www.space.com/esa-josef-aschbacher-interview-exomars-ariane-6