A big heart stopped beating. It is with sadness that we report the passing of Dr. Dumitru Hașegan on January 14th, 2021.
Dumitru (Ticu) Hașegan was the former Director of the Institute of Space Science (ISS), Măgurele, Romania, and full member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).
Dr. Dumitru Hașegan acted as the Romanian representative in the ESA Science Programme Committee (SPC). He signed the Multi-Lateral Agreement (MLA) for ESA/Euclid Mission and acted as member of the Euclid Mission Steering Committee.
During his entire career, Dr. Hașegan struggled to impose the Space Sciences development in Romania, without neglecting related fields such as nuclear, high energy and medical physics.
Dr. Hașegan was also the leader of the first Romanian experiment onboard the International Space Station.
As Director of the ISS he succeeded in building a Romanian top research institute, even if the circumstances were not always favorable. Dr. Hașegan used to say to colleagues: “Keep your research going, I will take care of the rest”.
The main ISS auditorium, also build under his mandate, will bear from now on his name.
The ISS team send sincere condolences to the family and the scientific community for the immense loss.
May God give him peaceful and eternal rest!
