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22/10/2026
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The European Space Agency Council has approved the appointment of two new directors: Andrzej Banasiak as Director of Commercialisation and Industry Partnership, and Nicolaus Hanowski as Director of Space Operations.
ESA Member States approved the Director General’s proposals at the 350th ESA Council at delegate level taking place on 21–22 October 2026 at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France.
Director of Commercialisation and Industry Partnership
Andrzej Banasiak will take up duty as Director of Commercialisation and Industry Partnership on 1 January 2027. He will be based at ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) in Harwell, United Kingdom.
A Polish national, Andrzej has more than 25 years of international leadership experience in the space, defence, aerospace and high-technology sectors.
He currently serves as Safran Group’s Country Delegate in Poland and Managing Director for Safran Electronics & Defense in Poland. He has previously held senior positions at Rheinmetall Electronics Hungary, Thales Alenia Space Polska, General Electric, Boeing and Schlumberger.
His experience spans the development and transformation of technology businesses, space industry development, commercialisation, international partnerships and industrial growth across Europe.
“Europe’s future in space will be shaped not only by what we invent, but by what we build together. I am honoured to join ESA and look forward to working with its teams, Member States and industry to turn technological excellence into commercial success, stronger industrial capabilities and lasting European competitiveness,” Andrzej Banasiak said.
Director of Space Operations
Nicolaus Hanowski will take up duty as Director of Space Operations on 1 January 2027. He will be based at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany.
A German national, Nicolaus has more than 25 years of experience in the space sector and has headed ESA’s Earth Observation Mission Management and Ground Segment Department since 2014.
His career at ESA and the German Space Agency at DLR has covered mission and satellite operations, programme management, ground segment architecture, digital transformation, space science and Earth observation.
He brings extensive strategic, managerial and technical expertise, including experience leading international teams and complex programmes.
“I am proud to take on the leadership of ESA Space Operations, where missions come to life and European expertise and capabilities are continually taken to new frontiers,” Nicolaus Hanowski said.
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