Career
Danish engineer, Director General of the European Space Agency (European Space Agency) from 1980 until 1984. As head of European Space Agency, he oversaw early stages of the Ariane launcher"s development, as well as Spacelab"s earliest contributions to space science, notably its maiden launching, with the first European Space Agency astronaut in space. With an Mississippi (1945) in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark, Quistgaard"s early career included working in the United States as an engineer for Chrysler 1948-1951, and at Volvo in Sweden, where he held various production management functions between 1956 and 1972.
Prior to joining European Space Agency, Erik Quistgaard headed the Danish naval and maritime yard Odense Steel Shipyard from 1972 to 1979.