Josef Aschbacher
Head, Programme Planning & Coordination (EOP-C)
Earth Observation Programmes Directorate
European Space Agency
Italy

Biography
Josef, an Austrian national, joined ESA for the first time at the Centre for Earth Observation (ESRIN) in Italy in 1990. He was later seconded to Southeast Asia for two and a half years to work on a joint ESA-EC space project to introduce the use of ERS-1 data in the ASEAN countries. Upon his return to Europe, he joined the European Commission at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy. In 2001 he re-joined ESA, working first at ESA’s headquarters in Paris. In 2006 he moved back to ESRIN when he was nominated Head of the Copernicus Space Office (then called the GMES Space Office). In March 2014 he was appointed Head of Programme Planning and Coordination Service within ESA’s Earth Observation Directorate. Josef holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the University of Innsbruck, Austria.