Doctorate degree in physics, University of Freiburg, 1976; research scientist at CERN; professor at the University of Stuttgart; hobbies: Flying, soaring, gardening, music; from 2000 to 2004 E. Messerschmid was Head European Astronaut Center (EAC), Cologne. Ernst Messerschmid has now left ESA and returned to his Professorship in Astronautics and Space Stations at the Institute of Space Systems University of Stuttgart.