SPACE SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS

Dr. Thomas Reiter

Director-General for Space and Security
German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space

Astronaut
former Brigadier-General of the German Air Force

Career
until May 2021 Advisor to the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) Interagency Coordinator
2011 – 2016 ESA Director for Human Spaceflight and Satellite Operations
2007 – 2011 Member of the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
2006 Second long-duration mission to the ISS as flight engineer on the Astrolab mission
1999 – 2000 Training for the Russian segments of ISS at the Russian cosmonaut training centre
1997 – 1999 Commander of the Flying Group Tornado fighter-bomber wing of the German Air Force
1997 – 1999 First long-duration mission at the Russian space station Mir; first German spacewalk
1992 Appointment to the ESA astronaut corps Training
1992 Conclusion of test pilot training at the Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS), Boscombe Down, England
1990 – 1991 TB-2 training and deployment as test pilot at WTD 61 in Manching
1984 – 1990 Pilot at fighter-bomber wing 43 Oldenburg
1983 – 1984 Training as military jet pilot Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, USA
1982 Studies of Aerospace Technology at the University of the Bundeswehr in Neubiberg (Munich)
1977 Abitur at Goethe-Gymnasium Neu-Isenburg

Related Sessions

Global Space Collaboration Luncheon

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

12:15 pm - 1:45 pm

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