https://spacewatch.global/tag/josef-aschbacher/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:35:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/josef-aschbacher/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/poland-to-build-12-iris2-constellation-satellites-after-agreement-with-the-european-commission/ Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75851 Polish Minister Marcin Kierwiński and European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius have signed an agreement for Poland's participation in the construction of the IRIS2 constellation satellites, marking a new chapter in Poland's security. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/esa-and-poland-to-establish-new-civil-security-and-resilience-center-in-warsaw/ Tue, 14 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75644 ESA and Poland are establishing a new ESA center focusing on civil security and resilience in Warsaw, supporting the efficient and coordinated development of European capabilities in these strategically important fields. The announcement was made during a joint press conference held in the Polish capital yesterday, 13 July by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk and Minister of Finance and Economy Andrzej Domański.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/esa-council-sets-december-ministerial-in-rome-reframes-exploration-after-nasas-gateway-decision/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75048 The 347th ESA Council on 17 June 2026 in Paris confirmed Rome as the venue for the Intermediate Ministerial Meeting on 15 December and signalled a fundamental repositioning of Europe's exploration strategy following NASA's downsizing of the Lunar Gateway. Director General Josef Aschbacher compared the upcoming Rome ministerial to the 2023 Seville Space Summit – a decision point that will set Europe's ambition for a decade or more.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/ila-2026-the-goal-is-the-moon-surface-esa-dg-josef-aschbacher-on-europes-moment-in-space/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74879 From ILA 2026 in Berlin, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher joins Torsten Kriening to celebrate a European astronaut on the next Artemis mission, share candid hopes of reaching the lunar surface, mark 140+ Zero Debris Charter signatories, and explain ESA's growing role in security and defense.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/esa-reaches-agreement-with-vast-to-fly-czechs-ales-svoboda-on-private-astronaut-mission-to-the-iss/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74720 The European Space Agency (ESA) will implement an astronaut mission to the International Space Station on behalf of the Czech Republic as part of the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station NASA awarded to Vast. Subject to Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP) review and approval, Aleš Svoboda, one of the 12 members of the astronaut reserve selected by ESA in November 2022, will serve as the mission’s pilot, becoming the first Czech astronaut on the ISS.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/artemis-iii-crew-confirmed-europes-luca-parmitano-takes-the-pilot-seat-on-humanitys-return-to-the-moon/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:37:32 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74702 ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher's words reflected the mood in Houston as NASA unveiled the Artemis III crew. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/vast-signs-crewed-two-mission-agreement-with-france-to-its-haven-1-commercial-space-station-and-the-iss/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74458 Vast has signed a two-mission agreement with France for crewed flights to the ISS and its Haven-1 station next year, involving two French astronauts and CNES.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/europe-and-chinas-joint-smile-mission-to-study-earths-magnetic-shield-launches-to-space/ Tue, 19 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74018 ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have launched the SMILE mission on Vega-C to study solar storms and Earth's magnetic shield.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/esa-and-jaxa-sign-dedicated-collaboration-agreement-for-2028s-ramses-mission-to-asteroid-apophis/ Mon, 11 May 2026 06:00:21 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73752 ESA and JAXA have signed a collaboration agreement for the 2028 Ramses mission to asteroid Apophis, deepening cooperation in planetary defence.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/04/esa-and-canada-sign-agreement-on-the-exchange-of-classified-information-around-strategic-space-domains/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73130 ESA and Canada have signed a classified information exchange agreement, enabling closer collaboration on space surveillance, disaster response, and security technologies.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/03/rocket-lab-launches-celeste-europes-low-earth-orbit-satellite-navigation-demo-mission/ Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=72438 Rocket Lab has delivered ESA's Celeste mission to orbit — the first LEO satellite navigation demo for Europe.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/03/cyprus-becomes-associate-member-of-the-european-space-agency-after-last-octobers-association-agreement/ Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=72203 The Republic of Cyprus has become an Associate Member of the European Space Agency, following the entry into force of the Association Agreement signed on 23 October 2025. The seven year agreement opens the way for Cyprus’s participation in ESA’s optional programs. The Associate Membership allows Cyprus to participate in ESA optional programs, enabling national industry, research institutions and start-ups to engage more closely with the European space sector. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/02/spacewatchgl-europes-space-pivot-from-esas-science-logic-to-national-security-logic/ Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=71269
Written by Niels Buus
Germany has signaled plans to invest around €35 billion through 2030 in space-related defence capabilities. The number matters not only because it is unprecedented in a European context, but because it is strategically framed: sovereignty, resilience, protection, and military readiness. This is the point: space in Europe is moving from “science-first” to “security-first.”]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/02/ariane-6-lifts-off-with-four-boosters-to-deploy-32-amazon-leo-constellation-satellites/ Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:00:07 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=71192 The inaugural launch of Ariane 64 - the four-booster version of Ariane 6 - has deployed 32 satellites for Amazon’s Leo constellation to low-Earth orbit. Liftoff occurred at 16:45 GMT/ 17:45 CET from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, with separation of the last satellites occurring after 114 minutes.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/02/ohb-establishes-european-moonport-company-as-an-innovation-center-for-lunar-ambitions/ Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=70958 OHB has announced the establishment of the European Moonport Company to consolidate the company's activities related to future lunar missions in Bavaria. The company will subsequently support lunar missions related to the development of European infrastructure on the lunar surface.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/12/spacewatchgl-opinion-bremen-a-victory-for-europe-but-what-for/ Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69836
Written by Gilles Rabin
Josef Aschbacher won his bet at the ESA ministerial conference, raising more than €22 billion. With an increase of more than 30% compared to the last conference in Paris, Europe is discovering its ambition for space, and the smiles on the faces of the Germans and Spaniards showed that this sector is no longer considered an excuse to take pretty pictures of the ISS or to present new superheroes in the form of astronauts wearing ESA jackets. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/12/poland-and-esa-discuss-plans-for-new-esa-security-center-in-the-country/ Wed, 03 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69433 The European Space Agency and the Republic of Poland are considering the creation of a new ESA center focusing on security that will be located in Poland. The announcement was made as part of the outcomes of ESA's Ministerial Council (CM25), in Bremen, Germany. The potential Polish center would be complementary to existing security and resilience activities, particularly at the European Space Security and Education Center (ESEC) in Belgium. It would also support efficient and coherent development of European space security and resilience capabilities.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/12/spacewatchgl-opinion-estonia-showcases-space-cyber-capabilities-at-bremen-space-tech-expo/ Tue, 02 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69298
Written by Tamara Blagojevic, SpaceWatch.Global
Estonia, long recognized for its digital resilience, put its space, cyber, and defense capabilities on full display at the Trade Estonia side event during the Space Tech Expo in Bremen. The event gathered companies and governmental stakeholders to highlight Estonia’s growing role in Europe’s strategic space and defense ecosystem — from cyber ranges and satellite collision analysis to AI-enabled robotics and advanced counter-drone systems.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/12/eib-launches-space-techeu-financing-program-to-scale-up-europes-space-sector/ Mon, 01 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69360 The European Investment Bank is setting up Space TechEU, its first dedicated financing program for the European space sector, as part of its TechEU initiative. The space financing initiative was announced at the European Space Agency`s triannual Council of Ministers (CM25) meeting in Bremen. The new lending program will include €500 million EIB financing to support companies across the space value chain, from upstream to downstream, and mobilize an estimated €1.4 billion of new investment in cooperation with commercial banks.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/11/esa-member-states-approve-e22-1bn-at-2025s-ministerial-council-meeting-cm25-in-bremen-germany/ Fri, 28 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69341 ESA member states have approved €22.1bn at this year's Council meeting at Ministerial level (CM25) in Bremen, Germany. This year’s Ministerial Council also served as the first stage of the implementation of ESA’s Strategy 2040 The Member States consequently guaranteed a historic increase of 3.5% per year beyond inflation that will enable significant European missions, bolstering the region's scientific leadership. ]]>