ESA staff rising by 13% in 2026; Exploration program to assess budget shortfall in Feb; Ariane 6’s challenging Galileo launch

by Peter B. de Selding

LA PLATA, Maryland — The European Space Agency (ESA) is increasing its staff by 13.3% in 2026 to account for additional program demands following its governments’ approval of a 31% increase in three-year funding approved at its Nov. 27 ministerial council.

The staff increase, of 400, will bring ESA’s full-time headcount to 3,400. The agency also has several thousand contractors, many of whom work at the agency’s various facilities.

Marco Ferrazzani, ESA director of resources and services, said the total new hires . . .

To view the entire article, become a subscriber!

You may also like