Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) since 2021
Isar Aerospace has reached orbit on its second Spectrum flight and has deployed small satellites, making it the first purely commercial European launcher to do so. The success has prompted company plans to scale production and expand launch capacity as European governments and private firms ramp up investment in sovereign space capability.
Europe is pushing to build sovereign space capabilities and reduce reliance on the United States for launches, satellites and defense-related space infrastructure. The International Space Summit in Paris has spotlighted EU ambitions, private sector growth, and tensions with U.S. and Chinese players.