ESA chief Aschbacher:

“Space is a new economic sector”

Austrian Josef Aschbacher is the head of European space travel.(Bild: REUTERS)

Josef Aschbacher, head of the European Space Agency, explains why it is withdrawing from industrial rocket development and why Elon Musk dominates this economic and research sector.

"Krone": As a Tyrolean, you have come a long way to become the head of the European Space Agency. Now you have presented Ariane 6, which is the last of its kind?
Josef Aschbacher: Ariane 6 is the most powerful heavy-lift rocket, a heavy launcher. It was launched on July 9 and will certainly provide good service for ten years, probably even longer. Ariane 5, the predecessor rocket, was extremely reliable for more than 20 years. But after the Ariane series, we will have to design and plan differently.