1. What is the European Space Agency (ESA)?

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's gateway to space. It brings together countries across Europe to develop space technologies, explore the Universe, monitor our planet, and deliver space-based services that benefit our societies.

Founded in 1975, ESA is an international organisation dedicated to the peaceful use of space. By pooling resources, expertise and investment, ESA enables European countries to undertake ambitious space missions and programmes that would often be difficult to achieve individually.

ESA works closely with the European Union and many international partners, but it is an independent organisation with its own Member States, governance structure and programmes.

2. How is ESA governed?

ESA has two main governing organs:

• The ESA Council, which is ESA's governing body and represents ESA's 23 Member States. The Council defines strategic priorities, approves programmes and budgets, and takes major decisions on ESA’s future activities.
• The Director General, who serves as ESA's chief executive and legal representative. Supported by ESA staff and Directorates, the Director General is responsible for managing the Agency and implementing the decisions taken by the Council.

Together, the Council and the Director General ensure that ESA's programmes reflect the priorities of its Member States and are delivered effectively.

3. What is the role of the ESA Director General?

The ESA Director General (DG) is ESA’s chief executive officer and responsible for managing its activities. Working closely with Member States, ESA experts and international partners, the Director General develops strategic proposals, oversees ESA's programmes and ensures that the Agency delivers on its objectives. The Director General also represents ESA internationally and plays a key role in shaping Europe's long-term vision for space.

The DG is appointed by the ESA Council. The appointment is made for a 4-year term, which may be renewed. The current Director General is Josef Aschbacher. He was appointed by the ESA Council in December 2020 for a 4-year term beginning in March 2021, and his mandate was subsequently renewed for a further four years from 1 March 2025.

Before becoming Director General, Josef Aschbacher served as ESA Director of Earth Observation and Head of ESRIN (ESA's Earth Observation centre in Italy). He has more than 35 years of professional experience across ESA, the European Commission, the Austrian Space Agency, the Asian Institute of Technology and the University of Innsbruck.

4. What is the role of the ESA Council?

The ESA Council is the Agency’s governing body. Composed of representatives of all 23 Member States, it defines policies, approves programmes and budgets, and oversees the Agency's activities.

Each Member State is represented by one delegation and has one vote, ensuring equal voting rights regardless of financial contribution. Delegations are typically composed of representatives from national ministries responsible for space policy or from national space agencies.

5. What is the Council at Ministerial Level?

The Council at Ministerial Level is ESA's highest decision-making forum.

Held every two to three years, the Council at Ministerial Level is ESA’s key decision-making moment and brings together Ministers responsible for space from ESA Member States. During these meetings, Ministers agree on the Agency's future priorities, approve programmes and decide on funding for the years ahead.

6. What is the decision-making process at ESA?

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, which means that its Member States collectively decide on policies, programmes and funding.

Decisions are prepared through discussions at different levels before being considered by the Council. While formal voting rules exist, ESA's decision-making culture is strongly based on cooperation and consensus.

This collaborative approach allows countries with different priorities and interests to work together towards common European objectives in space.

7. What are mandatory and optional activities?

ESA's activities are funded through two different mechanisms: mandatory activities and optional programmes.

Mandatory activities are funded by all Member States and provide ESA’s foundations and core functions. They include ESA’s Science Programme but also its core activities, such as studies on future projects, technology research, shared technical investments, information systems and training programmes.

Optional programmes allow Member States to decide individually whether they wish to participate and how much they would like to invest. These programmes cover many areas of ESA's work, including Earth observation, telecommunications, navigation, exploration and launch systems.

This flexible system allows ESA to pursue ambitious programmes while accommodating the different priorities of its Member States.

8. How is ESA financed?

ESA is primarily funded by contributions from its Member States.

All Member States contribute to mandatory activities according to an agreed scale based broadly on their economic capacity. In addition, countries choose whether and to what extent they participate in optional programmes.

ESA also manages programmes and activities on behalf of other partners, including the European Union, providing technical expertise and programme management for major European space initiatives.

At the 2025 Council at Ministerial Level, Member States decided on the largest financial package in ESA’s history, increasing funding by 31% to €22.3 billion for the following three-year period.

9. What is the geo-return principle?

The geo-return principle is a key element of ESA's industrial policy. It aims to ‘ensure that all Member States participate in an equitable manner, having regard to their financial contribution’ (Art. VII of the ESA Convention).

Its objective is to ensure that Member States benefit fairly from their investments in ESA programmes by creating opportunities for their industries to participate in ESA contracts and activities.

At the same time, ESA awards contracts through competitive procurement processes based on technical excellence, innovation and value for money. This approach helps strengthen Europe's industrial base while ensuring that ESA programmes are implemented efficiently and to the highest standards.