345th ESA Council: Media information session
The 345th ESA Council Media Information Session took place at the European Space Agency Headquarters in Paris, France on March 18, 2026, where ESA leadership provided updates on strategic priorities and programme decisions following the recent Council of Ministers meeting. Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher outlined key outcomes related to human spaceflight, Earth observation, launch systems and international partnerships, communicating how member states had endorsed budget allocations and mission directions. The session addressed ESA’s role in ongoing and future cooperative missions with partner agencies including NASA, JAXA, CSA and national space organisations across Europe.
During the briefing, ESA officials highlighted several programme decisions, including approval of a dedicated SpaceX Crew Dragon mission to the ISS under the EPIC framework, expanded support for commercial low Earth orbit destinations, and investment in polar weather satellite development. The council reaffirmed commitments to the Copernicus Earth observation portfolio and Next‑Generation Launcher technologies, emphasising the need for sovereign European capabilities. Speakers also discussed enhanced collaborative planning for Artemis lunar exploration activities and reinforcement of science missions spanning heliophysics, planetary exploration and fundamental physics, reflecting ESA’s broad engagement with international scientific and exploration objectives.
The media session provided insights into budgetary frameworks and policy directions endorsed by ESA member states, illustrating evolving priorities for space infrastructure, climate monitoring and strategic autonomy in space. Representatives addressed stakeholder questions on implementation timelines, industrial participation and the balance between agency‑led programmes and commercial partnerships. The briefing underscored ESA’s role as a coordinator of European space efforts and a partner in multinational missions, reiterating agreed goals and signalling planned activities in the coming years across a range of domains from Earth science to human spaceflight cooperation.
