On July 9–10, 2025, ISAE-SUPAERO had the honor of hosting the very first in-person edition of the Inter-Agency GNC V&V Workshop, bringing together more than 150 participants from academia, industry, and major international space agencies.
Organized under the guidance of ESA, CNES, NASA, DLR, ASI, ISAE-SUPAERO, and ONERA, the event marked a significant step forward in fostering dialogue and collaboration across the global space ecosystem. It aimed to address a core challenge of today’s missions: the Validation & Verification (V&V) of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) systems — a field critical to the precision, reliability, and safety of space operations.
GNC : a cornerstone of spaceflight systems
GNC systems are essential to every stage of a mission. They enable a spacecraft to plan and follow its trajectory (Guidance), determine its position and velocity in space (Navigation) and stabilize and correct its motion as needed (Control).
Mastering GNC is fundamental to the design and execution of both crewed and autonomous missions, from orbital rendezvous to deep-space exploration.
From keynotes to collaboratio
The workshop featured two standout keynote presentations. Jean-François Goester (CNES), who shared insights on orbital rendezvous strategies and Stefan Winkler (Airbus Defence & Space), who highlighted the engineering mindset required to address real-world challenges in spaceflight.
In addition to technical discussions, the event showcased an educational highlight: Francesco Sanfedino, faculty member at ISAE-SUPAERO, presented the European Satellite Benchmark for Control Education & Industrial Training — a tool co-developed with ESA to support hands-on learning in satellite control systems
A strong position in the international space ecosystem
By hosting this international event, ISAE-SUPAERO reaffirms its position as a key player in the space sector, at the intersection of education, applied research, and international cooperation. The workshop served not only as a platform for knowledge exchange, but also as a catalyst for future collaboration and innovation across agencies and institutions.
ISAE-SUPAERO extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, participants, and partners — particularly CNES and the ISAE-SUPAERO Foundation — for their invaluable support in making this event a success.
By hosting this international event, ISAE-SUPAERO reaffirms its position as a key player in the space sector, at the intersection of education, applied research, and international cooperation. The workshop served not only as a platform for knowledge exchange, but also as a catalyst for future collaboration and innovation across agencies and institutions.
ISAE-SUPAERO extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, participants, and partners — particularly CNES and the ISAE-SUPAERO Foundation — for their invaluable support in making this event a success.
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