Posted: Wed, Dec 24, 2014, 11:35 AM ET (1635 GMT)
The European Space Agency Council has selected the head of the German space agency DLR to become the next director general of the agency. The council selected Johann-Dietrich Woerner to succeed Jean-Jacques Dordain when Dordain's term ends in mid-2015. Woerner currently chairman of the executive board of DLR, a position he will keep until he becomes head of ESA. Woerner has not disclosed what his plans for the agency are, but has said in the past he opposes the sort of horse-trading among member nations to line up support for each others' favorite missions.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  ESA press release