With Willibald Riedler, TU Graz has set its first tracks in space. After his studies in communications engineering, meteorology and geophysics and years of research in Kiruna, Sweden, Riedler moved to TU Graz in 1968. One year later, on his initiative, the first Austrian measuring instrument took off into space on board a research rocket, and others were to follow. In the Austromir project, Riedler had overall responsibility for the scientific part.
In addition to his work at Graz University of Technology, Riedler was active as head of the Institute for Space Research at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and at Joanneum Research. His awards include the Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold of the Republic of Austria, the Austrian State Prize for Special Achievements in Science and Technology, the Ring of Honor of the City of Graz, and the Yuri Gagarin Medal awarded twice. Riedler published about 130 papers on communications engineering, magnetosphere and ionosphere physics, and physics