ESA - ESA history - European space pioneers

Welcome to ESA History of Europe in space ELDO/ESRO/ESA:
Key dates 1960-2010

Key figures

European space pioneers

Past Directors General of ESA ESRO Directors General ELDO Secretaries General Chairs of ELDO/ESRO/ESA Council

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ESA Bulletin: The ESA History Project History Study Reports A History of the European Space Agency, Volume I:
The story of ESRO and ELDO, 1958-1973 (pdf)A History of the European Space Agency, Volume II:
The story of ESA, 1973-1987 (pdf)

Overview

European space pioneers

Pierre Auger

Pierre Auger was the first Director General of ESRO, serving from 1964 until 1967. He passed away in 1993.

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Edoardo Amaldi

Edoardo Amaldi, the Italian cosmic ray physicist, was one of the founding fathers of European space research. He passed away in 1989.

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Herman Bondi

Sir Hermann Bondi, an Austrian-born British mathematician and cosmologist, was the second Director General of ESRO, serving from 1967 until 1971. He passed away in 2005.

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Robert Aubinière

General Robert Aubinière was the first Director General of the French space agency, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), from its creation in 1962 until 1972, and second Secretary General of ELDO until 1975. He passed away in 2001.

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Last update: 16 March 2010

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