Prof. Dr. Manfred Fuchs studied aeronautical engineering in Münich and Hamburg, graduating in 1961. He joined the Hamburger Flugzeugbau aircraft company as a development engineer working on aerodynamics/flight mechanics. He moved to ERNO in 1962, where he was appointed head of the Astrodynamics/Preliminary Development department and granted general signing powers in 1981, a year later becoming department director. In 1985 he fulfilled his lifelong ambition of running his own business, at OHB-System GmbH, Bremen, as managing shareholder. Since 2002 he has been CEO of OHB-System AG and a member of the OHB Technology AG management board responsible for space technology and security. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Milan Polytechnic and an honorary professorship from the Bremen University of Applied Sciences. He has been a member and deputy-chairman of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Senate, a member of the German Aerospace Agency (DARA) Supervisory Board and vice-president of the Hermann Oberth Society. He is currently vice-president of the association promoting the ZARM/Bremen University Drop Tower facility. Within the context of European space collaboration, he contributed significantly to Ariane 1, Columbus and Spacelab while working at ERNO. At OHB, he has collaborated closely with Russia on satellite launches from Plesetsk, Kapustin Yar and Baikonur.