The term of office of the incumbent ESA chairman Jan Wörner ends in summer 2021. His successor is currently responsible for the Earth observation programs.

Josef Aschbacher

(Image: ESA)

The Austrian Josef Aschbacher will be the next head of the European Space Agency ESA and will succeed Jan Wörner next year. The ESA Council decided on Thursday. Aschbacher is currently ESA Director responsible for the Earth observation programs of the Space Agency and is also head of the European Space Research Institute (ESA / ESRIN) in Italy.

Wörner’s term of office ends on 30. June 2021, he had the position in July 2015 started. Before that he was head of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for more than eight years.

Wörner’s successor has been since 1990 worked in various positions at ESA and has been jointly responsible for the ambitious Copernicus Earth observation program for almost two decades. Since 2016 Aschbacher has headed the relevant ESA division. He will take up his new position on July 1st 2021, the ESA announced. Last year Aschbacher gave insights into his work and the importance of the program in an episode of our #heiseshow.

( mho)