ESA Council Approves Two New Directors
The European Space Agency's Council also advanced preparations for a 2026 Intermediate Ministerial Meeting on Europe's future in space exploration.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Space
The 350th meeting of the ESA Council at delegate level, held in Paris on 21 and 22 October, approved the appointment of Andrzej Banasiak as Director of Commercialisation and Industry Partnership and Nicolaus Hanowski as Director of Space Operations. The Council also advanced preparations for IMM26 and discussed the Director General's proposal on Europe's Future in Space Exploration.
Why it matters
The Council's preparations for IMM26 follow a call by ESA Member States at the International Space Summit in Paris to strengthen Europe's ambition in space exploration. IMM26 is set to be a key step toward the programme and financial decisions at CM28.
The Council meeting was the 350th at delegate level, and ESA counts 23 full Member States plus 3 Associate Members. The source does not detail which specific programmes or budgets will be decided at IMM26 or CM28.
The players
European Space Agency (ESA)
The European Space Agency is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1975 that coordinates space research and exploration programmes among its member states.
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive arm of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation and managing EU policies and funding.
The details
The Council approved the two directorate appointments as part of its internal organisation agenda. European Commission representatives attended at senior level, and Member States reviewed developments in ESA-EU relations, including progress on joint projects and the first Sherpas meeting of the Commission's Space Team Europe initiative.
Timeline
21 and 22 October 2026: 350th ESA Council meeting held at ESA Headquarters in Paris.
15 December 2026: Intermediate Ministerial Meeting IMM26 scheduled in Rome.
1 January 2027: Andrzej Banasiak and Nicolaus Hanowski take up their duties.
Big Picture
The IMM26 meeting in Rome is positioned as a stepping stone toward the programme and financial decisions at ESA's CM28 Ministerial Council. The Council's current preparations follow the momentum set at the International Space Summit in Paris.
The leadership changes take effect on 1 January 2027, when the new Director of Commercialisation and Industry Partnership and Director of Space Operations begin their roles. The IMM26 outcomes in December will shape which European space programmes move forward ahead of CM28.
The takeaway
The ESA Council's decisions this October set the leadership and agenda for Europe's next phase of space exploration. Readers tracking European space policy should watch the December IMM26 meeting in Rome, which will shape decisions at CM28.
What happens next
IMM26 will be held in Rome on 15 December 2026 and is expected to be a key step toward the programme and financial decisions at CM28. The new directors take up their duties on 1 January 2027.
Further reading
For broader context on Europe's space programmes and agency leadership, explore the Space section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by European Space Agency (ESA).
