Share this page :

DMSM Research

DMSM at the Clément Ader Institute (ICA)

Last Updated On 25 September 2025

The Clément Ader Institute (UMR CNRS 5312) is the solid mechanics research laboratory for Toulouse and its region, under the aegis of the CNRS. It brings together research teams from four institutions and three ministries: the University of Toulouse III Paul Sabatier (National Education), INSA (National Education), ISAE-SUPAERO (Defense), and the École des Mines d'Albi (Industry). These institutions are located in three cities in Midi-Pyrénées: Toulouse, Albi, and Tarbes.

In 2019, 90 researchers and associate researchers are organising and coordinating their activities in four research groups:

MSC: Composite Materials and Structures
SUMO: Surface, Machining, Materials, and Tools
MS2M: Modelling of Mechanical Systems and Microsystems
MICS: Measurement, Control, and Monitoring

The DMSM is involved in three of these four research groups: MSC, SUMO and MS2M.

Involvement in MSC Group Activities

Four DMSM professors carry out their research activities within the Composite Materials and Structures group of the ICA, mainly in the SIMU area, but also in certain areas of the MAPP area.

Area 1 – Structures, Impact, Modelling, Machining (S.I.M.U.):

Theme 1: Impact – crash
Theme 2: Behaviour modelling
Theme 3: Machining

Area 2 – Materials, Properties, and Processes (M.A.P.P.):

Theme 1: Process simulation
Theme 2: Emerging processes
Theme 3: Tooling
Theme 4: Innovative materials and methods for the multi-scale study of properties

Certain activities related to composites, but also to the themes of other research groups in the laboratory, are also addressed by the team within the ICA’s transversal UMM and ASM research areas. The team is developing partnerships with academic and industrial players, sometimes around structuring French or European multi-partner projects (ANR, FUI, etc.), or regional projects.

Our Main Projects

National: ANR (MANSART, VERTEX, VULCOMP1, VULCOMP2, FUI (AXSPAD, PLUME S3L, SAMBA, S3PAC)
European : ALCAS

Our Partners

Academic Partners

Industry Partners

Involvement in SUMO Group Activities

Three DMSM professors contribute to and co-lead the research activities for the Surface, Machining, Materials, and Tooling group (Groupe SUMO).

Area 1 – Fatigue, Modelling, Damage and Wear (F.A.M.E.U.):

Theme 1: Analysis of interfacial heat exchanges
Theme 2: Tribology and hot and cold wear
Theme 3: Modelling behaviour and service life under thermomechanical loads

Area 2 – Properties of Use and Microstructures of Advanced Materials (P.U.M.A.):

Theme 1: Mechanisms of plastic deformation and microstructural evolution in relation to macroscopic properties
Theme 2: Damage and ageing under mechanical, thermal, and environmental stresses

Area 3 – Machining and Shaping (Usi.M.e.F):
Theme 1: Improving machining quality
Theme 2: Optimised tool positioning on left-hand surface, optimised machining strategy
Theme 3: Digital chain for tool design and serviceability: Virtual Lab®.

Our Resources

Experimental: Stereo-correlation, microscopy (MO, SEM, EDX), fatigue machines (uniaxial and multiaxial), instrumented nano-indenters, etc,
Numerical: ABAQUS, LS-DYNA, NASTRAN, Z-set (Zébulon, Zmat).

Our Partners

Involvement in MS2M Group Activities

Ten DMSM professors contribute to and co-lead the research activities of Axis 1 and Axis 2 of the Mechanical Systems and Microsystems Modelling Group (MS2M Group):

Axis 1 – Systems and Microsystems Engineering (I.S.M.):

Theme ISM1: Optimal multidisciplinary design or design under uncertainty
Theme ISM2: Microfluidics and mechanical microsystems
Theme ISM3: Embedded systems, mechanical assemblies and actuators

Area 2 – Integrity of Structures and Systems (ISS):

Theme ISS1: Vibration dynamics of structures and systems
Theme ISS2: Structures under severe loads
Topic ISS3: Numerical developments in structural design

Our Partners

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

Integrated Image Sensors (CIMI) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

The “Integrated Image Sensors” (CIMI) scientific group, develops and characterizes active-pixel image sensors (CMOS Image Sensors (CIS)) on silicon for visible and infrared radiation.

The CIMI group’s research challenges and objectives address the need to integrate, miniaturise, and improve the performance of image sensors.

These are the key components of cameras, vision systems for space instruments, or imaging systems hardened against ionising radiation.

A CIS detector consists essentially of a matrix of pixels to recover a voltage value proportional to the photons detected, a readout circuit to process the voltage values of all the pixels, and decoders to address the pixels.

We are cooperating with:

Airbus Defence & Space to develop image sensors and space instruments, since 1994 (CRISTAL corporate chair established in 2009)
CEA-DAM, since 2010 (joint research team since 2012) on the study of the vulnerability of imagers in severe radiative (nuclear) environments
CNES as part of R&D projects, since 2002
STMicroelectronics on R&D projects, since 2005
Thales Alenia Space to develop image sensors (corporate chair established in 2015)

Our Research Areas

The CIMI group focuses its work on four main themes:

Physics: Nano-/microelectronics / integrated circuits / physics of semiconductor devices / physics of photodetection

Development: Study and development of image sensors on silicon for visible and infrared radiation

Radiation: Effects of space and nuclear radiation on image sensors and hardening by design

Cryogenics: Electronics at cryogenic temperature

Access OPEN SCIENCE to find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms

Our Research and Development

In Collaboration with Manufacturers

A CIMI detector on the Copernicus satellite for the LSTM (Land Surface Temperature Monitoring) mission, to be designed in 2021.
A CIMI detector on the GEO-KOMPSAT-2B (Geostationary Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite-2) satellite, designed in 2014.
A CIMI detector on the Sentinel 2-A and 2-B earth observation satellites, designed in 2011.
A CIMI detector to establish an optical link, via the atmosphere, between an airborne carrier representative of future UAVs and ESA's ARTEMIS geostationary satellite, designed in 2006.
A CIMI detector in the GEO-KOMPSAT-1 (Geostationary - Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite-1) or COMS (Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite) satellite, designed in 2005.

The optical link between an aircraft and a satellite is a world first. An APS (Active Pixel Sensor) in space is a world first for the CIMI sensor in the GEO-KOMPSAT-1 satellite, which was positioned in geostationary orbit in 2010.

A CIMI detector hardened to ionising radiation (above 1 MGy) for in situ characterization of nuclear waste, designed in 2020.
A CIMI detector hardened to ionising radiation (above 1 MGy) for remote vision and inspection during remote handling operations of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), designed in 2019.

As far as the ITER reactor is concerned, the CIMI detector is capable of obtaining good quality images after 1MGy of radiation. This is a world first!

Our Research Projects

An image sensor contributing to the development of ITER

The FURHI_VGA detector is a 10-bit digital colour image sensor in VGA format (contract in partnership with Fusion For Energy (F4E)). This detector is based on CMOS image sensors (CIS), for remote vision and inspection during the remote handling operations of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). F4E is responsible to the European Union (EU) for ITER, the world's largest scientific partnership to demonstrate that fusion is a viable and sustainable energy source.

ITER is a civil nuclear fusion research reactor project located in Cadarache (Bouches-du-Rhône). The research project is part of a long-term approach aimed at the industrialisation of nuclear fusion.

The FURHI_VGA detector is a radiation-resistant 10-bit digital VGA colour image sensor.

An image sensor on the GEO-KOMPSAT-2B (Geostationary - Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite-2) satellite

The LARGO7M detector is a 7 million pixel image sensor that provides 2500km x 2500km images centred on South Korea with a resolution of 250m in different spectral bands (colours) from 370nm to 900nm. It enables short-term changes in the coastal environment around Korea to be observed, quantified, and predicted. The GEO-KOMPSAT-2B satellite was launched into orbit on 18 February 2020.

Mission lifetime: 10 years
Position: Geostationary orbit, 35,786 km above the Earth
Spectral bands: 12 bands in the visible spectrum
Ground resolution: 250m x 250m -over Korea
Target area: 2500km x 2500km

The image sensor is integrated by ADS with its proximity electronics and then placed in the telescope. A filter wheel selects the 12 spectral bands by placing a coloured filter in front of the 7 million pixel image sensor.

An image detector in the COMS satellite (Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite)

The COBRA2M detector is a 2 million pixel image sensor that provides 2500km x 2500km images centred on South Korea with a resolution of 500m in 8 different spectral bands (colours) from 400nm to 900nm. It is used to observe, quantify, and predict short-term changes in the coastal environment around Korea. The COMS satellite was launched into orbit on 27 June 2010.

Mission lifetime: 7 years
Position: Geostationary orbit, 35,786 km above the Earth
Spectral bands: 8 bands in the visible spectrum
Ground resolution: 500m x 500m above Korea
Target area: 2500km x 2500km

The image sensor is integrated by ADS with its proximity electronics and then placed in the telescope. A filter wheel selects the 8 spectral bands by placing a coloured filter in front of the 2 million pixel image sensor.

An image detector in the SENTINEL 2A and 2B satellites

The VNIR S2 detector is a low-noise multi-array image sensor (contract in partnership with ADS and ESA). This sensor is on board two Sentinel 2 satellites, which observe the whole of the Earth's surface every 10 days, with a resolution of 10 m to 60 m, in 13 spectral bands ranging from the visible to the mid-infrared.

The data is mainly used in the fields of agriculture, forestry, land use, habitat characterisation, and biodiversity. They are also used to observe and prevent natural disasters, such as floods, volcanic eruptions, subsidence, and landslides. The Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B satellites were launched into orbit on 23 June 2015 and 7 March 2017 respectively.

Mission lifetime: 7.25 years for each satellite over a 20-year period
Principle of the instrument: Pushbroom
Position : Two identical satellites operating simultaneously, in phase at 180° to each other, in a sun-synchronous orbit at an average altitude of 786 km

Repetition cycle: 5 days at the equator, using the full configuration of the two-satellite constellation and in cloud-free conditions
Swath width: 290 km
Spectral bands: 13 spectral bands, ranging from visible and near-infrared to infrared
Ground resolution: 10, 20, 60 metres

There are 12 elementary sensors per focal plane in each satellite.

An image detector in an aircraft to establish an optical link with the ARTEMIS geostationary satellite.

The LOLA (Liaison Optique Laser Aéroportée) project has established an optical link, via the atmosphere, between a Mystère XX aircraft and ESA's ARTEMIS geostationary satellite (prime contractor ADS). The APS 750 FAST CMOS sensor detects and tracks the satellite with a low level of received optical power. The wavelength of the communication beam is 850nm.

The physics of photodetection involves understanding and modelling, among other things:

Charge generation in silicon
The transfer of charges to the collection point (the photodiode), and the control of collection paths to avoid crosstalk
The origin of the dark current in an attempt to reduce it
How to design a photodiode, taking into account the materials used, in order to maximise its sensitivity, reduce the dark current, and maximise its total collection capacity

The means of understanding these phenomena, and even predicting them, are analytical modelling, physical mesh simulation (TCAD), and above all comparison with experimental data obtained using test structures or complete imagers.

Optical nanostructures and CMOS image sensors: Improving photodetection or functionalities (spectral filters, polarization) using nanostructures integrated directly into each pixel. The structures are either integrated into the production flow or transferred to the top of the sensor.
Methods used : Electromagnetic modelling using coupled waves and finite differences (Meep, Lumerical FDTD).
Examples of integrated planar microlenses

Research linked to cryogenic activities covers several areas:

Study of photodetection mechanisms for imagers used at extremely low temperatures (down to 80K) in the visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) wavelength ranges
Study of innovative readout chains for extracting information from cooled imagers (ROIC)
Extraction of physical models (physical simulation of semiconductors, TCAD) and electrical models (electrical simulation) of elementary microelectronic devices (MOSFET transistors, diodes, etc.)
Development and optimisation of cryogenic temperature measurement methods (from 10K to 300K)

Our Partners

Our Design and Measurement Resources

Linux workstations for circuit design
Word generators, low-noise power supplies, arbitrary signal generators
Calibrated electrical (oscilloscopes, logic analysers) and optical (power meter, spectroradiometer) analysis instruments
Transportable characterisation benches for characterisation needs on external sites
Electrical measurement equipment for basic boxed devices (from 300K to 10K)

Highly uniform and stable optical sources
Two monochromators for fine analysis of spectral sensitivity
Thermal chambers for temperature studies
Motorised translation stages for image quality measurements
Microscopes for observing circuits
A cryostat capable of holding complete imaging components and readout circuits for electrical and dark testing (from 300K to 80K)

A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for topographic analysis (observation of µlenses, cross-sectional views, etc.) and for extracting physical parameters using EBIC
A Scanning Near field Optical Microscope (SNOM) and an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) to measure topography and intra-pixel sensitivity
A 350kV X-ray irradiator
A low-frequency noise characterisation bench capable of operating in a cryogenic environment

An annealing furnace
Two parametric analysers for semiconductor devices
An under-tip tester for measuring electrical parameters (leakage current, noise, capacitance, etc.) of unboxed imager structures
An under-tip tester in a cryogenic environment (Cryo tester from 300K to 80K) for measuring electrical parameters of elementary microelectronic devices (from bare circuits to 8″ wafers)

Discover... CMOS image sensors at ISAE-SUPAERO

ISAE-SUPAERO - as a center for training through research, research training and innovation - has a wide range of research equipment used in its 6 research departments. Today, we present CMOS image sensors! CMOS image sensors are playing an increasingly important role in our everyday lives. For several years now, our team at ISAE-SUPAERO has been developing CMOS image sensors with a number of players in the field, and innovating by proposing new architectures and conditions of use requiring studies of both elementary components and more complex structures. Measurements are carried out on transistors and diodes with the help of an under-tip tester and a parametric analyzer enabling very low current measurements (10 aA). Similarly, simple structures containing innovative pixels can be operated with the tester using spike cards coupled to a word generator specially designed for image sensors. All these studies not only contribute to our understanding of the physics of photodetection, but also provide models for our simulators. They are also used to monitor manufacturing processes during the various production phases.

Vincent GOIFFON

Head of CIMI Group

vincent.goiffon@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DEOS Scientific Publications

Trapeze Active Deep Trench Designs for Enhanced Charge Transfer Performances in CCD-on-CMOS Image Sensor

Salih Alj Antoine, Migliorin Lucrezia, Touron Pierre, Carrere Jean-Pierre, Michelot Julien, Demiguel, Stéphane, Virmontois Cédric, Lalucaa Valerian, Magnan Pierre, Goiffon...

27 Jan 2026 FIT-SLAM 2: Efficient 3D exploration with Fisher information and traversability-based adaptive roadmap

Saravanan Suchetan, Bains Anaïs, Ponzoni Carvalho Chanel Caroline, Vivet Damien, FIT-SLAM 2: Efficient 3D exploration with Fisher information and traversability-based...

09 Sep 2025 The Moon's crust and upper mantle discontinuities revealed by seismic interferometry methods applied to Apollo seismic data

Torrent Duch, Arnau, Garcia Raphaël F., Drilleau Mélanie, The Moon's crust and upper mantle discontinuities revealed by seismic interferometry methods...

27 Jan 2026 In-Flight Hot Pixels and Random Telegraph Signal in Aeolus Accumulation CCDs Operated at Low Temperature

Plocina Asnate, Goiffon Vincent, Marcelot Olivier, Marchais Denis, Saint-Pé Olivier, Rizzolo Serena, Pratlong Jérôme, Bell Ray, Salih Alj Antoine, Antonsanti,...

27 Jan 2026 Displacement Damage Effects on a CDTI-Based CCD-on-CMOS: Dark Current and Charge Transfer Inefficiency

Salih Alj Antoine, Antonsanti, Aubin, Le Roch Alexandre, Touron Pierre, Roy François, Tournier, Arnaud, Demiguel, Stéphane, Michelot Julien, Lalucaa Valerian,...

27 Jan 2026

Photonics Antenna Microwave PlasmaA (PAMPA) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

The “Photonics Antenna Microwave PlasmaA” (PAMPA) scientific group is interested in electromagnetism in the fields of microwaves and photonics, as well as wave-plasma interactions.

Our Research Themes

The PAMPA group focuses its work on two main themes:

Optoelectronics for Aerospace Payloads and Telecommunications (OPTO)

This activity focuses on photonic functions for signal generation or microwave functions (optoelectronic oscillator, frequency comb, coherent detection) as well as optical space communications (communication chain and effects of atmospheric turbulence on satellite-ground laser links).

Photonic-Microwave and Photonic Components

The design of photonic-microwave systems requires detailed knowledge of the physics of photonic components in order to develop models adapted to the various operating modes (static, dynamic, noise).

These models are validated experimentally using experimental benches dedicated to the various components and adapted to different frequency ranges (up to 65GHz). As we are targeting embedded applications, we also focus on the reliability of components in harsh environments, and more particularly on temperature constraints (tests from -65 to 200°C).

The team designs systems for generating microwave or digital signals for time and frequency reference. More specifically, OPTO designs Optoelectronic Oscillators and frequency combs based on VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser).

Satellite-Ground Laser Link/Open-Space Optical Communications

While fibre-optic telecommunications have enabled the Internet to be deployed between continents and make optimum use of wired terrestrial links, the proliferation of mobile devices means that the bandwidth of space and wireless communications has to be considerably increased. Free-space optics can be used to overcome the limitations of the radio frequency band. In partnership with the IRT Saint Exupéry, CNES, and AID, the team is studying ground satellite laser links.

The studies were carried out at various levels:

Participation in the IRT Saint-Exupéry ALBS project for the design of the ELLA BANC (Emulation de lien Laser Satellite Sol).
Production, in partnership with IRT Saint-Exupéry and the University of Technology of Catalonia, of a free propagation emulator (emulation of atmospheric turbulence).

Microwave Plasma Interaction (IMP)

This theme focuses on the interactions between microwave signals and plasma discharges.

Plasmas are used to design new reconfigurable microwave functions (e.g. antennas or passive circuits).

In addition, an understanding of the interaction mechanisms also enables efficient microwave plasma sources to be developed. Finally, these interactions are also studied in certain cases where they are involuntary and therefore undergone, for example during the integration of plasma thrusters and communication systems on satellites.

Access OPEN SCIENCE to find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms

Our Research Facilities

Discover... the ISAE-SUPAERO acoustic anechoic chamber

Angélique Rissons

Head of PAMPA Group

angelique.rissons@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DEOS Scientific Publications

Trapeze Active Deep Trench Designs for Enhanced Charge Transfer Performances in CCD-on-CMOS Image Sensor

Salih Alj Antoine, Migliorin Lucrezia, Touron Pierre, Carrere Jean-Pierre, Michelot Julien, Demiguel, Stéphane, Virmontois Cédric, Lalucaa Valerian, Magnan Pierre, Goiffon...

27 Jan 2026 FIT-SLAM 2: Efficient 3D exploration with Fisher information and traversability-based adaptive roadmap

Saravanan Suchetan, Bains Anaïs, Ponzoni Carvalho Chanel Caroline, Vivet Damien, FIT-SLAM 2: Efficient 3D exploration with Fisher information and traversability-based...

09 Sep 2025 The Moon's crust and upper mantle discontinuities revealed by seismic interferometry methods applied to Apollo seismic data

Torrent Duch, Arnau, Garcia Raphaël F., Drilleau Mélanie, The Moon's crust and upper mantle discontinuities revealed by seismic interferometry methods...

27 Jan 2026 In-Flight Hot Pixels and Random Telegraph Signal in Aeolus Accumulation CCDs Operated at Low Temperature

Plocina Asnate, Goiffon Vincent, Marcelot Olivier, Marchais Denis, Saint-Pé Olivier, Rizzolo Serena, Pratlong Jérôme, Bell Ray, Salih Alj Antoine, Antonsanti,...

27 Jan 2026 Displacement Damage Effects on a CDTI-Based CCD-on-CMOS: Dark Current and Charge Transfer Inefficiency

Salih Alj Antoine, Antonsanti, Aubin, Le Roch Alexandre, Touron Pierre, Roy François, Tournier, Arnaud, Demiguel, Stéphane, Michelot Julien, Lalucaa Valerian,...

27 Jan 2026

Navigation, Radar, and Remote Sensing (NAVIR² eS) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

Our Research Themes

The Navigation, Radar, and Remote Sensing (NAVIR²eS) group works on three themes related to signal and image processing, covering the entire perception chain:

Signal analysis and processing: Work is being carried out on signal enhancement to improve the performance of GNSS sensors, as well as on visible and multi- or hyperspectral image analysis techniques. In addition, GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R) detection and analysis approaches are being developed. The aim of this work is to extract useful information from a raw signal in a relevant and efficient way.
Multi-source information fusion: Based on the information extracted from the signal, multi-information fusion approaches are being developed in the context of autonomous navigation. In particular, work is being carried out in the field of simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) applied to autonomous vehicle navigation.
Performance analysis: The navigation approaches developed in this way are also analysed in terms of achievable performance. New approaches to constrained filtering and performance boundary calculations are being studied to validate and evaluate the proposed methods.

Access OPEN SCIENCE to find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms

Our Research Areas

New GNSS system architectures

The team is working on the development of new GNSS receiver architectures, integrating multi-constellation and multi-frequency systems and developing new algorithmic approaches at signal level.

Multimodal hybrid navigation

We are studying multimodal hybridisation algorithms integrating, among other things, Vision, IMU, and GNSS for autonomous vehicle navigation and environment mapping.

Theoretical performance studies

Theoretical studies of the algorithmic performance of estimation approaches are also carried out. One of the objectives is to compensate for system modelling errors by using constrained estimators.

Approaches to environmental perception and analysis

With the aim of detecting and characterising the environment, the team is interested in signal processing approaches for multi/hyperspectral imaging, as well as reflectometry methods using GNSS signals (GNSS-R).

Eric Chaumette

Head of NAVIR²eS Group

eric.chaumette@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DEOS Scientific Publications

Trapeze Active Deep Trench Designs for Enhanced Charge Transfer Performances in CCD-on-CMOS Image Sensor

Salih Alj Antoine, Migliorin Lucrezia, Touron Pierre, Carrere Jean-Pierre, Michelot Julien, Demiguel, Stéphane, Virmontois Cédric, Lalucaa Valerian, Magnan Pierre, Goiffon...

27 Jan 2026 FIT-SLAM 2: Efficient 3D exploration with Fisher information and traversability-based adaptive roadmap

Saravanan Suchetan, Bains Anaïs, Ponzoni Carvalho Chanel Caroline, Vivet Damien, FIT-SLAM 2: Efficient 3D exploration with Fisher information and traversability-based...

09 Sep 2025 The Moon's crust and upper mantle discontinuities revealed by seismic interferometry methods applied to Apollo seismic data

Torrent Duch, Arnau, Garcia Raphaël F., Drilleau Mélanie, The Moon's crust and upper mantle discontinuities revealed by seismic interferometry methods...

27 Jan 2026 In-Flight Hot Pixels and Random Telegraph Signal in Aeolus Accumulation CCDs Operated at Low Temperature

Plocina Asnate, Goiffon Vincent, Marcelot Olivier, Marchais Denis, Saint-Pé Olivier, Rizzolo Serena, Pratlong Jérôme, Bell Ray, Salih Alj Antoine, Antonsanti,...

27 Jan 2026 Displacement Damage Effects on a CDTI-Based CCD-on-CMOS: Dark Current and Charge Transfer Inefficiency

Salih Alj Antoine, Antonsanti, Aubin, Le Roch Alexandre, Touron Pierre, Roy François, Tournier, Arnaud, Demiguel, Stéphane, Michelot Julien, Lalucaa Valerian,...

27 Jan 2026

Communication and Information Theory (ComiT) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

Our Research Themes

The ComIT group focuses its work on three main themes:

Designing efficient, robust, and secure waveforms

We are interested in the appropriate formatting of information, taking into account the characteristics of the propagation channels. We aim for energy and spectral efficiency, while considering the trade-off between robustness and security.

For example, we are looking at the construction of error-correcting codes for wiretap channels, transmission beyond the Nyquist rate, and the optimisation of multifunction waveforms (e.g. radar and communication). We are also interested in learning optimal waveforms and the associated decoders (e.g. auto-encoders).

Advanced reception techniques

We propose receivers adapted to increasingly realistic observation models. To achieve this, we use estimation/detection techniques based on Bayesian methods and/or supervised learning strategies (e.g. Monte Carlo methods using Markov chains, neural networks).

In addition to the performance criteria we are aiming for, we also focus on projects with controlled computational complexity. Examples include turbo equalisation and Bayesian variational filtering for phase tracking.

Efficient use of resources in a multi-user context

We are studying the problem of access to spectral resources in the context of multiple users, both cooperative and non-cooperative.

The first theoretical part aims to determine fundamental limits (e.g. capacity regions) and the second part focuses on the construction of random access methods and network coding specific to aeronautical and space systems.

Access OPEN SCIENCE to find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms

Our Research Areas

These themes fall into four research areas:

Spectrum sharing between radar and communication: A single waveform for both functions saves frequency resources and facilitates the integration of the underlying electronic systems (e.g. sharing of front-end and antennas).
Physical layer security: The inherent randomness of the propagation channel, and of certain electronic components, can be exploited to guarantee secure communications and key generation methods, in addition to cryptographic methods.
Broadband radar: Usually used for imaging, broadband radar can also be used to detect moving targets. By exploiting their range migration and the parsimony of the scene, an unambiguous mode can be obtained.
Learning techniques for the physical layer: Neural networks for building end-to-end communication chains (transmitters and receivers), with very low complexity or for channels that are difficult to model.

Damien Roque

Head of ComIT Group

damien.roque@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DEOS Scientific Publications

Trapeze Active Deep Trench Designs for Enhanced Charge Transfer Performances in CCD-on-CMOS Image Sensor

Salih Alj Antoine, Migliorin Lucrezia, Touron Pierre, Carrere Jean-Pierre, Michelot Julien, Demiguel, Stéphane, Virmontois Cédric, Lalucaa Valerian, Magnan Pierre, Goiffon...

27 Jan 2026 FIT-SLAM 2: Efficient 3D exploration with Fisher information and traversability-based adaptive roadmap

Saravanan Suchetan, Bains Anaïs, Ponzoni Carvalho Chanel Caroline, Vivet Damien, FIT-SLAM 2: Efficient 3D exploration with Fisher information and traversability-based...

09 Sep 2025 The Moon's crust and upper mantle discontinuities revealed by seismic interferometry methods applied to Apollo seismic data

Torrent Duch, Arnau, Garcia Raphaël F., Drilleau Mélanie, The Moon's crust and upper mantle discontinuities revealed by seismic interferometry methods...

27 Jan 2026 In-Flight Hot Pixels and Random Telegraph Signal in Aeolus Accumulation CCDs Operated at Low Temperature

Plocina Asnate, Goiffon Vincent, Marcelot Olivier, Marchais Denis, Saint-Pé Olivier, Rizzolo Serena, Pratlong Jérôme, Bell Ray, Salih Alj Antoine, Antonsanti,...

27 Jan 2026 Displacement Damage Effects on a CDTI-Based CCD-on-CMOS: Dark Current and Charge Transfer Inefficiency

Salih Alj Antoine, Antonsanti, Aubin, Le Roch Alexandre, Touron Pierre, Roy François, Tournier, Arnaud, Demiguel, Stéphane, Michelot Julien, Lalucaa Valerian,...

27 Jan 2026

Languages, Arts, Cultures, and Societies Department (LACS)

Last Updated On 04 September 2025

Our research department

At LACS we teach languages, interculturality, geopolitics, general culture, economics, sport… multi-dimensional skills that bring out knowledge, interpersonal skills, know-how and the ability to act.

If we can say that ‘science’ departments contribute to the development of our students’ brains, at LACS we like to say that we contribute to the development of their hearts!

Our department is cross-disciplinary. Our teaching methods are built around 3 objectives that are approached progressively and transversally: Knowing oneself, knowing others, mastering contexts and helping them to evolve.

In all our disciplines, the student is at the centre of our learning. ISAE-SUPAERO is one of the few engineering schools to offer such a choice, both in quantity and quality, in non-scientific activities.

LACS raises awareness and encourages students to become open-minded, receptive, international, leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators.
At LACS, students develop their engineering skills and their own professional project: Multicultural teamwork, communication, listening, organisation, leadership, taking a step back, critical thinking, etc.

At the end of the year, a series of exchanges/meetings/conferences organised by the various members of the department in close collaboration with the students provide an opportunity to share views on inspiring personalities.

At LACS, we don't just train engineers: We support men and women in their development. Through the diversity of our teaching, we give them the keys to understanding the world, engaging with it lucidly, and acting with precision. Engineers may think with their heads, but they act with their hearts - and it's those hearts that we nurture.

Philippe Girard Head of department

The Languages, Arts, Cultures and Societies Department (LACS ) comprises:

+ 250

Conscientious teachers - lecturers - temporary workers

Electives in English from a wide selection

33%

International students with whom we develop intercultural workshops

25h

Intercultural workshops

Languages other than english

Lecturers and researchers from multidisciplinary and multicultural backgrounds

Committed and dynamic assistants

Sports instructors involved

Access OPEN SCIENCE and find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms.

Our activities at LACS

The emphasis is on communication and the development of:

LINGUISTICS - assessed according to the CEFR - Common European Framework of Reference for Languages,

COMMUNICATION in a professional environment,
INTERCULTURAL in a multicultural working environment.

We start with a certain amount of disinhibition and move towards confidence and enjoyment in order to achieve mastery of foreign languages. In our language courses, a great deal of emphasis is placed on so-called active teaching methods: Inverted teaching, differentiated teaching, problem-based learning, role-playing, role-playing situations and the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology). (Information and Communication Technology for Teaching).

Diversity: Our strong point!

Debating : The club meets once a week for verbal jousts on philosophy, politics and societal issues. As always, Supaero has been a member of the French Debating Association (FDA) since 2011. Based on the model of parliamentary debates, nearly 20 schools and universities compete in tournaments between January and March. The club organises debates in Toulouse with other schools.
A wide choice of courses in English, with over 50 electives to choose from, including: Populism, protectionism and the environment, Costa Rica: A pioneer country for the environmental cause, If I ruled the world... create your own sim city.
The science and English teachers work in synergy with the students on the Research Initiation Projects, which combine scientific content and communication in English to produce daring communication materials.
In addition to English, 10 languages are offered : Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Langue des Signes Française (LSF) and Français Langue Étrangère (FLE). Special attention is paid to foreign students, and activities are offered to help them integrate on campus. We have also been awarded the Welcome to France label by Campus France.
The 25-hour Inter Cultural Workshop aims to prepare our students for their professional lives by raising their awareness of intercultural relations/management issues. There are more than 400 students of 31 different nationalities, accompanied by 16 tutors divided into small multicultural teams, whose language of communication is English.

Objectives and expected skills :

AUTONOMY: Develop the means to act on the environment: by understanding what is at stake in order to act safely for oneself and for others ; the acquisition of reusable motor skills; the acquisition of methods for approaching practice.

PLEASURE: Allowing the body to really come into play by mobilizing resources adapted to an emotionally rich physical experience: learning, sharing, contributing, feeling...

BALANCE: Offer regular, well-considered exercise to contribute to well-being and health, and to establish a rhythm conducive to professional and personal training.

Our essentials : swimming, rowing, weight training, fitness, golf, archery, boxing, tennis, table tennis, badminton, baseball, futsal, rugby, etc.

To adapt to an uncertain environment: climbing, diving, etc.

For artistic physical performance: hip hop, circus, etc.

For personal development and self-maintenance: self-defence, yoga, etc.

Betting on the sensitivity of each individual

At ISAE-SUPAERO, the human training of future engineers is based on Arts & Cultures.

In addition to the scientific rigour that forms the basis of their technical knowledge, each student is offered, during the first two years of their course, a diversion through the disciplines of meaning that address them as subjects of reflective thought and/or creative practice.

Within this framework, the module's contributors help to build this individual identity by encouraging modes of access to knowledge other than those of technological reason. Students are encouraged to actively re-appropriate the sensations, emotions, and meanings inherent in their personal history and their presence in the world.

A wide range of courses (Mais vers 1860, une soudaine lumière, La figure du monstre, Cadavres exquis : beaux meurtres au cinéma, Informer par les techniques d'écritures et de mise en page journalistique) and workshops are offered throughout the year, as well as workshops in the visual arts, music, theatre, and writing.

The programme

1ʳᵉ year

INITIATE AND SEDUCE

Introduction to business (20h)
Introduction to accounting (20h)
Ariane business game

ELECTIVES :

Introduction to law (15h) Employment law (15h)
Financing methods (15h) Private equity (15h)
Advisory services (30 hrs) phase 3
Setting up a business creation project (30 hrs) phase 3
Industrial property law (15h) Tax law (15h)
Introduction to marketing (15h) + BtoB marketing (15h)

2ᵉ year

INFLUENCE OR GUIDE YOUR COURSE

Economics and strategy of the space sector
Economics and RES
Introduction to economics
Analysis of an economic sector

ELECTIVES :

Consulting professions (30h) sequence 3
Setting up a business creation project (30h)

3ᵉ year

GAP YEAR - SPECIALISATION, ACQUIRING DUAL SKILLS

Finance stream,
DESIA: know-how, knowledge and interpersonal skills,
Double Diploma course (HEC, Sc. Po, LSE, Imperial College).

The DESIA

The DESIA (Diplôme d'Enseignement Supérieur en Ingénierie des Affaires) is a certificate offered to students at the end of their engineering training and before their end-of-study internship. Its aim is to raise awareness of the fact that business performance is as much a collective issue as an individual one.

The DESIA is then divided into 3 phases:

Phase 1 selection of students: this is carried out by submitting a video and a covering letter, together with a curriculum vitae.

Phase 2: Common core : This phase is organized around two axes: the transfer of know-how and interpersonal skills:

- The first is based on the teaching of academic fundamentals in the main areas of management (corporate finance, accounting, financial analysis, corporate finance, management control, marketing, strategic management, employment law). These courses are taught by professors from leading business schools and universities.

- The second axis, alongside these courses, is based on developing attitudes and behaviours. Support is provided by psychosociologists and business coaching professionals.

This common core phase ends with three highlights:

- A strategic audit based on a case study proposed and supervised by the Roland Berger consultancy firm.

- A day of case studies on mergers and acquisitions organized by a Deloitte partner.

- A management simulation game

Phase 3 of business teaching: this is based on project management techniques, lean management, design to cost, consulting methods (operational consulting, strategy consulting), etc. These courses are run by consultants from major consultancy firms, most of whom are alumni.

The grand oral :

The high point of the course, the Grand Oral concludes the DESIA. It consists of the resolution ofa business strategy case study (diagnosis of the situation or decision and recommendations). Each team, formed during the group dynamics seminar, finds an industrial sponsor who will coach them during the preparation of the case.

Philippe Girard

Head of the LACS department

philippe.girard@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

Job offers

View job offers for scientific staff in the LACS research department!

Thesis offers

Check out the LACS research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies!

Internship opportunities

Check out the internships available in the LACS research department!

Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC)

Last Updated On 25 September 2025

Our Research Department

The Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC) at ISAE-SUPAERO conducts cutting-edge research and develops models, methods, and tools to control the behaviour and performance of complex systems.

Structured into five complementary scientific groups and a transverse technical group , it covers a broad spectrum of skills.

Scientific groups

Professors and faculty

Department assistants

Engineers and technicians

Doctoral and post-doctoral students

Our aim is twofold: To pioneer research into mathematical and numerical aspects of aeronautics and space, and to support our students in these areas as part of their education and future goals.

Jérôme Lacan Department Head

Research Activities at DISC

With 43 permanent staff and 45 PhDs, the DISC is structured into five scientific groups covering the department’s scientific fields. These groups are responsible for their own or cross-disciplinary research themes that contribute to ISAE-SUPAERO’s strategic priorities. A technical group supports each scientific group.

The Applied Mathematics group (MA), specialising in stochastic processes (in particular Markov processes), numerical optimisation (multidisciplinary, non-linear programming) and parallel computing, stabilisation, control and numerical resolution of partial differential equations, and finally financial engineering
The Connected Systems group (SysCo), which specialises in network issues related to aeronautics and space, i.e. space communications, on-board networks, and delay-tolerant networks
The Critical Systems Analysis and Design group (CASC), which specialises in methods, processes, and tools for the specification, design and development of software-critical systems
The Learning, Decision and Optimisation (ADO) group, which specialises in decision-making for autonomous systems (planning, learning, supervision) and industrial applications (design, development, operations, etc.)
The Theory, Modeling, and Systems Engineering (ThéMIS) group, specialising in the study and development of advanced methods for the design, modelling, and validation of complex systems

and eight scientific themes:

Fluid-structure interactions
Multidisciplinary optimisation
Aerospace communication networks
Connected systems

Systems engineering: processes and models
Simulation of cyber-physical systems
Industrial engineering
Decision, optimisation, and learning

SysCo Scientific Group

Research Themes

Modelling, performance analysis, and optimisation of real-time systems and networks (embedded, satellite, 5G)
Reliability of transportation protocols
Distributed storage
Cybersecurity / cryptography

More about SysCo

CASC Scientific Group

Research Themes

Formal methods
Dedicated programming languages
Simulation of cyber-physical systems
Hardware architecture design

More about CASC

MA Scientific Group

Research Themes

Partial differential equations: Numerical methods, fractional derivatives and/or diffusive models, Hamiltonian systems with interaction ports
Optimisation and uncertainties: Multidisciplinary optimisation, non-convex, stochastic, optimal control, inverse problems
Applied probability and statistics: High-dimensional statistics, statistical learning, parametric estimation, extreme values

More about MA

ADO Scientific Group

Research Themes

Learning: Reinforcement learning, vision and image analysis, generative AI, LLMs
Decision making: Activity planning models, sequential decision making
Optimisation: Evolutionary algorithms, combinatorial optimisation

More about ADO

ThéMIS Scientific Group

Research Themes

Preliminary design of complex systems and exploration of the design space
Architecture and trade-off analysis
Semantics of models and formal verification and validation (V&V) methods
System resilience (e.g. identification of obsolescence risks)
Technology forecasting and strategic planning (roadmapping)

More about THEMIS

DISC Technical Group

Activities

Support for teaching activities: Design and production of experimental materials, supervision of design offices and student projects
Support for research activities: Concorde, Cohoma, Imuda, Mermoz, SolarBoost, Inemar, Carla, Scrimp, Halion, Factoring, GAS
Areas of work: Embedded systems engineering, software development, AI, HPC, modelling, simulation, automation, and electronics
Management of experimental platforms: Autonomous systems, nanosatellite bench, HPC, photovoltaic bench, etc.

DISC Scientific Publications

Hierarchical Planning Applied to the Preliminary Design of CubeSats: Nanospace Study

Gateau Thibault, Salas Cordero Sophia Karolina, Vingerhoeds Rob A., Hierarchical Planning Applied to the Preliminary Design of CubeSats: Nanospace Study....

03 Dec 2025 Physics of the vortex gust–airfoil interaction under an optimal mitigation strategy learned through deep reinforcement learning

Martin Brice, Jardin Thierry, Rachelson Emmanuel, Bauerheim Michaël, Physics of the vortex gust–airfoil interaction under an optimal mitigation strategy learned...

28 Jan 2026 FRER-aware Partial CBS Deployment in Time-Sensitive Networks : Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference on Real-Time Networks and Systems

Torres-Borda, Santiago, Mifdaoui Ahlem, FRER-aware Partial CBS Deployment in Time-Sensitive Networks : Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference on Real-Time...

01 Jan 1970 Optimal Control of 1D Semilinear Heat Equations with Moment-SOS Relaxations

Lebarbé, Charlie, Flayac, Emilien, Fournié Michel, Henrion, Didier, Korda, Milan, Optimal Control of 1D Semilinear Heat Equations with Moment-SOS Relaxations....

01 Jan 1970 Navigating the LEO Network: A Routing Optimisation Approach : 2025 International Symposium on Networks, Computers and Communications (ISNCC)

De Guibert Alice, Syed Mohammad Imran, Hotescu Oana, Lacan Jérôme, Navigating the LEO Network: A Routing Optimisation Approach : 2025...

01 Jan 1970

Access OPEN SCIENCE to find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms

Our Lessons

The DISC is heavily involved in ISAE-SUPAERO courses:

In the ISAE-SUPAERO engineering cycle courses: the DISC runs the common core courses in mathematics, computer science, and engineering and business (systems engineering and project management). In the final year of this course, DISC’s professors contribute to the Complex Systems and Simulation and Autonomous Systems fields, as well as to the Decision Sciences, IT Telecoms Networks, and Signals and Systems streams.
In the Master of Aerospace Engineering: DISC is responsible for the Aerospace Systems and Systems engineering programmes.
The department also runs the Embedded systems, Systems Engineering, Aerospace Project Management and IEM Advanced Master® programmes.
DISC is also involved in the University of Toulouse’s Mathematics and Applications master’s programme, for the Operational Research and Research and Innovation tracks, as well as the Networks and Telecommunications Master’s programme.
Finally, the DISC organises an INCOSE systems engineering certification preparation programme for engineering and Master’s students. It represents ISAE-SUPAERO on the INCOSE Academic Council.

The department welcomes a large number of trainees and projects from various academic courses as part of its research or engineering activities, enabling them to put their work into practice in its facilities.

Our Research Facilities

Autonomous Systems Platform

The autonomous systems platform enables robots and drones to evolve in a secure, instrumented area (10m x 10m x 4m). The test zone is equipped with a motion capture system and audiovisual resources.

This platform is a development area suited to ISAE-SUPAERO’s research and teaching activities, activities relating to the development of autonomous mini-UAVs (airborne and ground-based), cooperation between heterogeneous UAVs, and the study of UAV-robot/human operator interaction.

Learn More

Network / Blockchain Platform

DISC has a room containing 35 PCs dedicated to research, teaching, and communication activities related to different types of communication networks.

This platform is used to carry out performance tests on specific applications: real-time multimedia transmissions over noisy links, peer-to-peer networks, distributed storage systems, and blockchains.

On this last theme, a system for deploying the Ethereum blockchain is used to carry out performance tests.

Learn More

PRISE Platform

The PRISE platform (Platform for Research in Embedded Systems Engineering) aims to define and implement a platform for research, study, design, hybrid simulation, and validation of critical embedded systems.

The scientific objectives of the PRISE platform concern the performance and functional validation of critical embedded systems, particularly for the aerospace industry. The platform enables the execution and simulation of the entire avionics chain of an aircraft, drone, or satellite.

Learn More

HYCUBE Nanosatellite Development Platform

This modular flatsat platform, inspired by the EYESAT project, aims to provide tools for the development of CubeSat nanosatellites in support of ISAE-SUPAERO’s teaching and research activities.

It is made up of three development building blocks that meet the key requirements of any space mission: the ground segment, the onboard system (the space segment), and the simulation of the space environment.

Learn More

Job Offers

Consult the job offers for scientific staff in the DISC research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the DISC research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the internships available in the DISC research department

Go Further

Connected Systems (SysCo) Scientific Group

Design and Analysis of Critical Systems (CASC) Scientific Group

The “Design and Analysis of Critical Systems” (CASC) scientific group focuses on methods, processes and tools to support System Engineering and Systems Engineering.

Applied Mathematics (MA) Scientific Group

Learning, Decision, Optimisation (ADO) Scientific Group

Our Research Areas Our work focuses on decision support systems, from the collection of data to its interpretation, in order to make the best decision....

Theory, Modelling, and Systems Engineering (ThéMIS) Scientific Group

The “Theory, Modeling and Systems Engineering” (ThéMIS) scientific group is dedicated to the study and development of advanced methods for the design, modeling and validation...

Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department (DMSM)

Last Updated On 24 September 2025

Our Research Department

The synergy between teaching and research within the Department of Structural Mechanics and Materials (DMSM) aims to encourage students and associated researchers to develop the know-how and open-mindedness required for innovation and excellence, through a demanding and creative approach.

It relies on teams of professors, research professors, technical engineers, and laboratory administrative staff who anchor the research in the activities of the Clément Ader Institute, who lead and develop the cross-disciplinary themes of the ISAE-Research host team, and who enable the emergence of new areas of applied research at the cutting edge of technological innovation.

The activities of the Structures and Materials Mechanics Department (DMSM) are supported by strong partnerships.

Various research and R&D projects enable ISAE-SUPAERO students and auditors to learn about methods and a working environment that complement the engineering approach taught in the classroom. The projects range from student research projects to major ANR (Agence Nationale pour la Recherche) or FUI (Fond Unique Ministériel) projects, and cover the development phases from pre-project to the production of demonstrators.

Faculty

Research engineer

Doctoral students

Postdocs

Articles per year

By combining applied research and demanding training, we prepare engineers capable of innovation. Thanks to the many partnerships we are developing, they are exposed to the real challenges of engineering, developing the creativity, rigour, and adaptability essential to their future profession.

Catherine Mabru Department Head

Our Research Activities

Along with the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory of the University of Toulouse III Paul Sabatier and the INSA, and the Centre de Recherche Outillages Matériaux et Procédés of the École des Mines d’Albi, ISAE-SUPAERO’s DMSM is one of the three founding members of the Institut de Génie Mécanique de Toulouse, which has become the Institut Clément Ader, a CNRS Joint Research Unit (UMR CNRS 5312 ICA).

The research carried out at the DMSM aims to develop methods and tools for the design of aerospace structures for use by engineers. In order to respond as effectively as possible to the constantly evolving needs of industry and research, it is structured around three key themes which anchor the research activities within three groups of the Institut Clément Ader (ICA) and enable the emergence of emerging themes open to collaboration and exchanges with outside ISAE-SUPAERO and outside the ICA. These activities also feed into two cross-disciplinary themes within ISAE-SUPAERO:

Multidisciplinary Optimization (MDO)
Fluid-Structure Couplings (FSI)

The DMSM’s three research themes form a bridge with the Modelling and Dimensioning teaching blocks in the Common Core and with the courses in the three Structure and Materials pathways in the 3rd year of engineering courses and with Masters courses.

Durability and Damage Tolerance of Composite and Metallic Materials

Research Themes

The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of damage to composite and metallic materials under impact, crash, and fatigue conditions.

Static and Dynamic Modelling and Qualification of Aerospace Structures

Research Themes

The research is mainly focused on the development of models, methodologies, and strategies for the deterministic or uncertain modelling of structures.

Design & Simulation Driven by Multi-Physics Requirements

Research Themes

This theme focuses on the development of methods, models, and strategies for modelling structures and materials in order to verify performance, qualification, or certification requirements.

DMSM Scientific Publications

Towards scalable surrogate models based on neural fields for large scale aerodynamic simulations

Catalani Giovanni, Jean Fesquet, Bertrand Xavier, Tost Frederic, Bauerheim Michaël, Morlier Joseph, Towards scalable surrogate models based on neural fields...

17 Dec 2025 Fourier Neural Autoencoder with Hyperbolic Feature Mapping for Non-Linear Decomposition of Fluid Flows

Zakaria Kemas, Bryan Goh, Dang Thai Son Nguyen, Viet Dung Duong, Morlier Joseph, Zuhal Lavi Rizki, Palar Pramudita Satria, Fourier...

11 Feb 2026 Ecodesign of 3D volumetric fiber-composite structures with topology optimization

Asai Gustavo, Jansari Chintan, Lachaud Frédéric, Masania Kunal, Morlier Joseph, Ecodesign of 3D volumetric fiber-composite structures with topology optimization. 2025,...

05 Dec 2024 A Review on Metallic Drilling Burrs: Geometry, Formation, and Effect on the Mechanical Strength of Metallic Assemblies

Frutos Taravillo, Santiago, Paroissien Eric, Landon Yann, Schwartz Sébastien, Fressinet Mathieu, Chirol Clément, A Review on Metallic Drilling Burrs: Geometry,...

09 Dec 2024 Fatigue behavior of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel: Competition between the effects of defects and microstructure

Roirand, Hugo, Hor Anis, Malard, Benoit, Saintier Nicolas, Fatigue behavior of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel: Competition between the effects...

09 Jan 2025

Access OPEN SCIENCE and find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms

Our Resources

Our Teams

The DMSM is made up of:

A scientific team made up of permanent staff (1 researcher and 17 professors, including 11 HDRs) supervising non-permanent staff (doctoral students, post-doctoral students, engineers recruited under fixed-term contracts)
A Laboratory Technical Group (GTL) comprising 8 engineers, technicians and test and instrumentation staff. This group works both at the DMSM site of the Pôle Mécanique and at the Espace Clément Ader within UMR 5312
A Mechanical Technology Group (GTM), also made up of 8 engineers, technicians, and design & manufacturing staff, working in the DMSM workshop to serve the technological objectives of all ISAE-SUPAERO departments. Like the GTL, it supports both educational work (student projects) and R&D (design and production of assemblies), while also coordinating forward-looking manufacturing activities
A departmental management unit comprising the departmental executive assistant and the departmental management assistant
A methods and digital tools development engineer for mechanics working for the above groups, team and unit

In addition to these 37 permanent staff, there are on average around forty PhD students, post-doctoral fellows, project engineers, around twenty master’s student trainees, and 5 visiting or associate professors (TU Delft, Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal), bringing the DMSM workforce to around 100 people, spread over the ISAE-SUPAERO and Institut Clément Ader sites.

The scientific team carries out teaching and research activities.

The teaching given primarily at ISAE-SUPAERO is described in the DMSM curriculum.

Research activities feed into three scientific themes strongly anchored in three of the four groups of the Institut Clément Ader (UMR CNRS 5312, MSC, MS2M, and SUMO), and two transversal themes in partnership with other departments within ISAE-SUPAERO.

Links with the administrative and technical team are established through teaching and research. Composite manufacturing courses, for example, are offered in the 2^nd and 3^rd year of engineering cycle studies and as part of PREX (experimental practical work).

These courses are based on dual supervision by the scientific team and technical groups.

They enable future engineers to make the link between scientific teaching and practical reality, and to handle in very concrete terms the structures and materials they are designing.

This duality is also the framework offered to all ISAE-SUPAERO students for academic research, innovation, and creativity projects.

The technical and administrative team is organized around a Laboratory Technical Group (GTL) and a Mechanical Technology Group (GTM), each supervised by a Technical Manager.

The groups are placed under the authority of the Head of Department, at the service of ISAE-SUPAERO and in particular the research activities of the DMSM.

Laboratory Technical Group

This technical group is in charge of and operates the materials and structures testing and analysis platform. It has a range of platforms and resources, including some remarkable experimental facilities.

The equipment is distributed between the ISAE SUPAERO campus and the Toulouse Montaudran site of the Institut Clément Ader (ICA UMR CNRS 5312).

Mechanical Engineering Group

This group is responsible for mechanical and composite engineering and manufacturing.

Its activities meet the technological and experimental needs of ISAE-SUPAERO. This group manages the workshop and places its qualified staff at the service of all ISAE-SUPAERO departments, their activities, and their research projects, in particular for academic or research projects led by the DMSM scientific team.

This team is based on the ISAE-SUPAERO campus.

Our Technical Resources

The DMSM has classic manufacturing, experimentation, and analysis resources which are made available to students and researchers from the Institut Clément Ader (UMR CNRS 5312) and ISAE-SUPAERO.

More specific and remarkable resources have also been developed and studied for research activities.

A mechanical testing platform: 10kN to 100kN static tests, 2.5kN to 250kN fatigue tests, structural tests
A dynamic testing platform: Vibration tests, Hopkinson bars
An Analysis and Control platform: Electronic and optical microscopy, ultrasonic NDT, metrology (3D digitisation, surface finish, hardness testers)
An instrumentation platform: High-speed cameras, image stereo-correlation (optical extensometry), high-speed acquisition, measurement sensors

Specific equipment and fixtures can be developed to equip these resources for specific experiments that are not common.

A 10kN vibrator for vibration testing, equipped with a laser vibrometer with derotator: The vibrator is ideal for vibration and mechanical shock testing using sinusoidal, random or transient excitation. The frequency range extends from 5 Hz to 3000 Hz.
Gas launchers for rapid impact of balls on materials and structures, 150 m/s, 30 kJ, equipped with high-speed cameras. This equipment can be used to study impact dynamics and assess the penetration or perforation resistance performance of materials and structures.
Drop towers, including a high tower for instrumented impact on materials and structures, height 6m, 10 m/s, guided carriages from 2kg to 250kg, 14.7 kJ: This equipment is used to carry out low-speed impact or crushing tests on materials or small structures. A guided carriage impacts or carries away a specimen structure at the bottom of the fall trajectory. Several set-ups are available depending on the test problem: Standardized impact, crash, dynamic compression, etc.
A space vacuum chamber to test the behaviour of space-related materials and components in a thermal vacuum, including in space conditions (secondary vacuum ^10-6 mbar and temperature -80°C to +150°C), the behaviour of electronic equipment in operation or materials can be assessed.
A nanoindenter to characterise the surface layers of materials, 0.1 to 500mN: This is used to determine the mechanical properties (hardness and elastic modulus) of thin films, coatings, and substrates on most materials.
A laser metal deposition (LMD) machine for metal additive manufacturing.
A Wire Arc Additive Manufaturing (WAAM) machine.

The DMSM has servers and computing stations running under LINUX and Windows environments, and has access via the Institut Clément Ader (UMR CNRS 5312) to the CALMIP computing centre for massively parallel computing. It also uses the PANDO supercomputer at ISAE-SUPAERO.

The DMSM uses the commercial calculation codes of its research partners and in-house codes for its own scientific evaluation or non-intrusive coupling needs: Abaqus®, Nastran®, Samcef®, Radioss®, LS-Dyna®, Europlexus®, Impetus Afea Solver®.

Our Teaching

The teaching activities of the Structural Mechanics and Materials Department cover the scientific disciplines relating to solid mechanics, including the fundamental subjects of general mechanics and continuous media.

Structures – and in particular thin structures – are the subject of developments in static, dynamic, vibratory, or transient and thermal analysis, leading on the one hand to the certification of aerospace-type structures, and on the other hand to the use and qualification of metallic and composite structural materials within structural elements.

The skills, facilities, and resources of the DMSM are made available for solid mechanics coursest:

ISAE-SUPAERO generalist engineering courses
The industrial engineering speciality through apprenticeships
The Science for the Mechanics of Materials and Structures research course in the Mechanical Engineering Masters at the University of Toulouse
The Aerospace Structures Major and Aircraft and Helicopter Engineering (AHE) programmes in the Master in Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
The AES Aeronautical and Space Structures and TAS Aeronautical Engineering Advanced Master® programmes

The DMSM’s lecturers structure and lead teams of part-time lecturers who are involved in teaching and in monitoring the various student projects, giving an introduction to research, experimental work, and facilitating end-of-study projects, often carried out in synergy with the department’s theses.

The DMSM coordinates more than 150 part-time teachers from industry and academic, research, and development institutions.

The DMSM training programme in the engineering curriculum is divided into Scientific Core courses (116 hours) and Elective modules (11 modules, 320 hours) in the 1^st and 2^nd years, which give engineering students the ability to interact with specialists in the mechanics of materials and structures and to understand complex, cross-disciplinary approaches to design.

In the first year

Experimental practice is an integral part of the analysis and modelling approach in solid mechanics. In order to initiate students and prepare them for autonomy in experimental practice, but also to make them aware of and autonomous in the analysis of test data and results, enabling them to understand the limits of validity of a modelling approach, Experimental Practice Projects (PrEx) are offered in the first year of the engineering curriculum.

In the second year

Introductory research projects (PIR) are an opportunity for students to get to grips with research methods and tools. The subjects proposed are directly linked to the department's research activities.

Between the second and third years, the DMSM is responsible for the gap year internships.

In the third year

The DMSM offers students the opportunity to specialise in three courses in its Structures and Materials programme.

After following the Common Core courses, engineering students can advance their knowledge and skills in the scientific themes covered by the DMSM: Numerical Mechanics, Aeronautical and Space Materials, Aeronautical and Space Structures.

Some modules include the option to follow the Science for the Mechanics of Materials and Structures research path from the Mechanical Engineering Master's degree at the University of Toulouse, gaining research skills useful for a future thesis (in a laboratory, CIFRE, etc).

Officer cadets from the Saudi Arabian Army are welcomed for a two-year certificate at the DMSM. They are prepared during the first year on the three-year engineering curriculum, then enroll in the M2 preparation for the AHE Master's degree.

The DMSM supervises and runs four Master's courses.

Master's education is at the heart of the DMSM's welcome to students not following engineering courses and wishing to pursue careers in the aeronautics and space sector. The Masters course is open to an equivalent number of students, and welcomes non-French and non-French-speaking students from all over the world on a selective basis.

The Aerospace Structures Major programme in the Aerospace Engineering specialisation (Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, MAE) at the Toulouse campus is aimed at students with a Bachelor's degree from a foreign university. It offers a two-year course in the mechanics of aerospace materials and structures. The courses are taught in English.

The Aircraft and Helicopter Engineering programme is also offered as part of the Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering (MAE). This programme is aimed at students with a Bachelor's degree. It aims to bring students up to Master's level (BAC+5) in helicopter design and maintenance engineering. Courses are taught in English.

The DMSM supervises and runs four Master's courses.

The Aerospace Structures Major programme in the Aerospace Engineering specialisation (Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, MAE) at the Toulouse campus is aimed at students with a Bachelor's degree from a foreign university. It offers a two-year course in the mechanics of aerospace materials and structures. The courses are taught in English.

The Aircraft and Helicopter Engineering programme is also offered as part of the Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering (MAE). This programme is aimed at students with a Bachelor's degree. It aims to bring students up to Master's level (BAC+5) in helicopter design and maintenance engineering. Courses are taught in English.

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the DMSM research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the DMSM research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the DMSM research department's internship opportunities

Go Further

DMSM at the Clément Ader Institute (ICA)

The Clément Ader Institute (UMR CNRS 5312) is the solid mechanics research laboratory for Toulouse and its region, under the aegis of the CNRS. It...

Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP)

Last Updated On 24 September 2025

Our Research Department

ISAE-SUPAERO’s Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP) is a key player in innovation in the fields of aerodynamics and propulsion.

It conducts cutting-edge research and develops advanced technologies, ranging from fundamental fluid dynamics and external aerodynamics to turbomachinery and propulsion.

The department, which is structured into three complementary scientific groups, is committed to developing knowledge and innovative solutions in the field of advanced aerodynamic and energy systems.

Its work is organised around four main scientific areas: Understanding and controlling complex flows (unsteady, transitional, turbulent, compressible) to improve the modelling and control of aerodynamic performance; designing and optimising innovative propulsion systems, using multi-scale and multiphysics approaches combining modelling and experimentation; research into energy-efficient solutions, including the use of new vectors and hybrid architectures to reduce the environmental footprint of energy systems; and the development of advanced numerical and experimental methodologies, particularly in high-fidelity simulation, parallel computing and applied AI, with test facilities adapted to the scale of components and systems.

These activities are part of a strong innovation dynamic and contribute to meeting the technological and environmental challenges of the aeronautics and space sectors.

Faculty

Technicians

Young researchers

Trainees

Publications/year

Our research, conducted in close interaction with industry players, is designed to meet the technological challenges of the sector, while training engineers and PhDs capable of understanding industrial realities and anticipating future developments.

Xavier Carbonneau Department Head

Research Activities at DAEP

The DAEP is structured into three research groups:

The D2F group: Fundamental Fluid Dynamics
The AEX group : External Aerodynamics
The TMP group: Turbomachinery and Propulsion

and four scientific themes:

MSE for Flow Modelling and Simulation
4AC for Experimental and Numerical Aeroacoustics for Aeronautical Applications
Aerodynamics and propulsion of durable, silent and convertible UAVs
Innovation in integrated aircraft architectures and propulsion systems

The department has strong links with the scientific community in the Toulouse area. Beyond this, research collaborations take place nationally and internationally, either through joint projects or on a more long-term basis, based on researcher-to-researcher links. Research agreements and contracts are also signed with major aeronautical contractors, equipment manufacturers, and subcontractors.

D2F Scientific Group

Research Themes

High-fidelity modelling and simulation of compressible and unsteady flows
Aero-acoustic modelling and noise source prediction
Reducing simulation costs and quantifying uncertainties

AEX Scientific Group

Research Themes

Aerodynamic optimisation and noise reduction
Flows in disturbed environments and fluid/structure interaction
Low-carbon propulsion and AI for flow control

TMP Scientific Group

Research Themes

Turbomachinery operability and robustness
Integration of new propulsion architectures
Development of advanced simulation methods

Our Research Projects

Adapting to non-carbon energies requires major changes in the architecture of transportation systems. In the case of an aircraft, this applies to numerous subsystems such as the propulsion or air conditioning unit. These developments are reflected in the components themselves and push the limits of some components, such as turbomachinery. The electrification process requires high-efficiency operating ranges for turbines and compressors that go beyond the current state of the art. The same difficulties are encountered in supplying air to fuel cells, which is holding up development.

The ANR CASTOR industrial chair is a research programme shared between Liebherr Aerospace, a recognised supplier of air systems to the aeronautics industry, and the DAEP at ISAE-SUPAERO. The aim is to increase the operating flexibility and performance of radial turbomachines, which are widely used in several industrial sectors because they are compact and robust, but whose geometric configuration leads to highly complex flows. In particular, we need to work on the operating limits of compressors, whose operability is limited by physical constraints, such as the compressibility of the gas, and above all by flow instabilities. This is a long-term issue in the specialist scientific literature, on which we need to make progress to better characterise and then push these limits.

For decades, turbines have suffered from a strong bias towards the classical sizing approach, which is very effective for a single specification, but loses its validity when the specification becomes multiple, as required by more electric architectures. The detailed analysis of rotors dimensioned in an unconventional way is a good starting point for making this diagnosis, and adjusting the methods, correlations and models, while taking into account variable geometry devices, which ensure operating flexibility.

The scientific approach is based on the experience of the department's TMP (Turbomachines and Propulsion) team, which actively contributes to research work on turbomachinery flows and the associated methodologies, whether numerical or experimental. But the department's other skills are also put to good use, such as its expertise in numerical simulation methods, including multiphysics (aero mechanical and thermal), and flow stability analysis.

Two test benches enable advanced metrology to be deployed, giving access to the local structure of the flow. They are also used to work on metrological issues, which, in such a constrained environment, is a research subject in its own right. The same methodological work is being carried out on dimensioning tools and numerical simulations. The Chair's location and organisation means that the DAEP and Liebherr teams work closely together on these different subjects.

As a result, a team of around twenty people at the two sites and pooled testing resources contribute to this 4-year project. Direct costs of €1.25m are being split by the ANR and Liebherr. The increased flexibility expected from radial turbomachinery will help to meet aircraft electrification requirements. It will also contribute to the development of fuel cells and heat recovery cycles. It will encourage the emergence of new system architectures, which could have an impact on other industrial sectors.

Context and Research Objectives

ISAE-SUPAERO conducts advanced research in aeronautical propulsion and energy to support the sector's transition. Since 2016, its Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion department has been developing innovative architectures to improve the energy performance of aircraft. Thirteen patents have been filed in collaboration with Safran, reflecting a strong industrial base. At the same time, an exergy approach has been developed to quantify the recoverable energy in the interactions between the propulsion system and the airframe. This method, integrated into the Epsilon open-source software, is now used by several players in the aeronautical sector.

Technical Developments: the Multifan Concept

Since 2017, ISAE-SUPAERO has been working on a multifan system, a propulsion architecture that distributes thrust over several independent fans. This approach makes it possible to increase the engine bypass ratio while respecting ground clearance constraints. The main advantages of the multifan are:

Improved propulsive efficiency and reduced drag
Optimised interaction with the wing, improving stability and energy performance
The possibility of thrust vectoring, reducing the need for a tail fin

2D and 3D CFD simulations have demonstrated aerodynamic benefits, notably via shock ingestion and vortex interaction, leading to several patents.

Exergy Applied to Aerodynamics

The exergy approach aims to quantify the useful energy recoverable from engine-wing interactions. Unlike conventional architectures, where the propulsion and airframe are separate, the multifan allows for greater synergy, in particular by exploiting the wake and boundary layers. Exergy distinguishes:

Recoverable energy (exergy), which can be used to improve efficiency
Lost energy (anergy), due to thermodynamic irreversibilities

These analyses have been validated experimentally in wind tunnels, demonstrating their relevance for optimising aeronautical configurations.

Numerical Tool: Epsilon Software

The exergy concepts have been integrated into the free Epsilon software, a plugin for Paraview. This tool enables data from numerical simulations and experimental tests to be analysed using an exergy approach. Since it was made freely available in 2022, Epsilon has been used by manufacturers such as Airbus and Safran, as well as by several international universities, reinforcing its impact on aeronautical research.

Student Training and Prospects

ISAE-SUPAERO is incorporating these advances into its training courses, particularly through a new teaching module on exergy in aerodynamics launched in 2023. This 20-hour course combines theory and practical applications. At the same time, a flying prototype project, supported by Airbus, was launched in 2022 with around ten students. Its aim is to design an A350 model equipped with the multifan system, offering a unique opportunity for applied learning.

Conclusion

The multifan and exergy approach developed by ISAE-SUPAERO provide innovative solutions for the future of aeronautical propulsion. Thanks to technological and numerical advances, this work is making an active contribution to energy optimisation in the sector.

The Institute is also pursuing its mission of excellence in education, integrating these innovations to prepare future engineers for the challenges of sustainable aeronautics.

The Genesis

When the SUPAERO and ENSICA research teams merged, the researchers working on the simulation of compressible flows chose to pool their activities in numerical methods and high-fidelity modelling of turbulent flows in the same calculation tool, on unstructured meshes, with the aim of retaining significant autonomy in the development of methods and models, but also maintaining the capacity to simulate more applied configurations in a massively parallel context.

The following paragraphs detail the methodological developments, as well as the projects aimed at producing results and studying the physics.

Today, this code is widely used in the department, by all three groups, although the D2F group remains the main developer and user.

In the department, 10 researchers are at least users, six of whom are developers or supervise developments.

Since 2023, an engineer has provided specific development and productivity support for research activities, in particular portability to external computers.

Methodological Developments

Given the main objectives (LES or DNS type simulation of compressible flows), the basic structure of the code is an unstructured mesh partitioning architecture with explicit Runge-Kutta type integration and non-blocking communications. The initial hybrid centred/upwind scheme with various sensors (shock sensors in particular) was completed by a complete restructuring compatible with SD and FR spectral schemes, by Lamouroux (2016) and then Saez-Mischlich (2021). At the same time, Saez-Mischlich (2021) has developed both Finite Volume (FV) and spectral (SD) ALE functionalities for moving meshes (here undeformed) and sliding meshes, which open up applications to rotors and turbomachinery. A specific development (in VF) by Rolandi (2021) makes it possible to force a stationary flow (Selective Frequency Damping method) and carry out a stability analysis using a Krylov/Finite Difference method, as well as carrying out a Floquet analysis for the secondary stability of a periodic flow.

Simulation at the Service of Physics

These developments have resulted in a reliable, high-performance tool for producing results for the physical analysis of flows. These include

Supersonic flows: Shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interaction on academic configurations, with forcing (vortex generator) or on more applied configurations (supersonic air inlet)
Turbulent flows on airfoils and rotors, for performance prediction, acoustic sources (e.g. effect of cavities, perforated walls) and identification of aeroacoustic coupling
The stability of lift-off or wake flows at low Reynolds numbers
Pulsed flows in turbines

Projects

From a methodological point of view, although spectral methods have been used in supersonic configurations, this is a particularly sensitive and severe situation for these high-order methods. A thesis is in progress to optimise the robustness/accuracy trade-off in shock capture situations in turbulent flows. The stability module is also being developed to include the adjoint operator and provide access to optimisation and control methodologies.

The main medium-term applications are supersonic flows with shock, in air inlets and, in the future, in nozzles and jets.

DAEP Scientific Publications

Data Driven Prediction of Gust Aeroelastic dynamics of HALE using Graph Neural ordinary differential Equations with input Control

Colombo Michele, Bauerheim Michaël, Morlier Joseph, Data Driven Prediction of Gust Aeroelastic dynamics of HALE using Graph Neural ordinary differential...

17 Dec 2025 Towards scalable surrogate models based on neural fields for large scale aerodynamic simulations

Catalani Giovanni, Jean Fesquet, Bertrand Xavier, Tost Frederic, Bauerheim Michaël, Morlier Joseph, Towards scalable surrogate models based on neural fields...

17 Dec 2025 Serration Manufacturing Effects on Propeller Trailing Edge Noise Mechanisms

Santamaria Jorge, Belliot Sylvain, Sanjosé Marlène, Gojon Romain, Moreau Stéphane, Serration Manufacturing Effects on Propeller Trailing Edge Noise Mechanisms. 2026,...

20 Jan 2026 Confined ionic wind : optimal gap for ducted electrodes systems

Flesselles, Benoit, Plouraboué, Franck, Binder Nicolas, Confined ionic wind : optimal gap for ducted electrodes systems. 2026, AIAA Journal

01 Feb 2026 Transient growth in a heavy q-vortex

Sablon Julien, Fontane Jérôme, Nastro Gabriele, Joly Laurent, Transient growth in a heavy q-vortex. 2026, American Physical Society. 11 (1)....

01 Feb 2026

Access OPEN SCIENCE and find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms.

Our Research Facilities

Discover... the ISAE-SUPAERO visualisation wind tunnel

Job Offers

Consult the job offers for scientific staff in the DAEP research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the DAEP research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the DAEP research department's internship opportunities

Space Systems for Planetology and Applications (SSPA) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 21 January 2026

Our Research Areas

The SSPA group focuses its work on two main themes:

The study of the internal structure and physical properties of the telluric planets and small bodies of the solar system: This research aims to understand the composition, internal structure and evolution of these objects.
Studying the coupling between the solid surface and the atmosphere of planets: This approach explores the interactions between atmospheric phenomena and the geology of these worlds.

These themes are part of a dual strategy:

The preparation of future space missions, involving the design and development of innovative instrumentation.
The analysis of data from past or current missions in order to refine existing scientific models.

Our Missions and Research Projects

The SSPA group is involved in a number of major space missions, each contributing to a better understanding of the solar system.

InSight is part of NASA's Discovery program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the InSight spacecraft, including its cruise stage and lander, and supported spacecraft operations for the mission.

Several European partners, including France's Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), are supporting the InSight mission. CNES provided NASA with the SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure) instrument, with the principal investigator at IPGP (Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris).

Major contributions to SEIS came from IPGP; the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany; the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) in Switzerland; Imperial College London and Oxford University in the UK; and JPL.

The Marsquake Service is led by ETH Zurich, with major contributions from IPGP; University of Bristol; Imperial College; ISAE-SUPAERO; MPS; and JPL. DLR supplied the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3), with major contributions from the Space Research Center (CBK) of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland. The Spanish Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) supplied the temperature and wind sensors.

The SSPA group is present on the NASA Perseverance rover (Mars 2020; which will prepare the sample return mission) through its contribution to the SuperCam instrument, which analyses rocks remotely using LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) technology.

We produced and supplied the first Martian microphone, which complements the LIBS measurements by providing calibrated information on rock hardness.

The SSPA team is involved in numerous small body missions.

Our involvement ranges from the development of instruments specifically for the exploration of small bodies, to the physical properties of the surface and internal structure of asteroids.

The SSPA team has invested in mission studies (in collaboration with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech) aimed at studying the internal structure of the planet Venus, this time using the couplings of the 'solid' planet with the atmosphere: We think we can detect these earthquakes either using balloons measuring infrasound in the upper atmosphere (60 km) of Venus, or by measuring infrared luminescence (airglow) from orbit.

This collaboration has resulted in several instrumented balloon flights in collaboration with JPL/Caltech and Sandia Labs in the United States.

The PIONEERS project (Planetary Instruments based on Optical technologies for an iNnovative European Exploration using Rotational Seismology) has been selected as a research and innovation action under the H2020-SPACE-20-2018 call for proposals.

This project, funded by the European Commission, aims to develop a new generation of planetary seismometers.

Coordinated by ISAE-SUPAERO, it aims to achieve a technological breakthrough that should make it possible to feel deformations 100 times smaller than the sensors currently available. To achieve this, optical interferometry technologies will be used to measure translations as well as rotations of the planetary surface. The addition of rotation measurement to traditional seismometers will enable new methods of probing planetary interiors and identifying seismic sources.

Two instruments will be developed over the 4 years of the project. A prototype ultra-low-noise instrument for the telluric planets of the solar system, and a more compact flight model, in CubeSat format, for application to asteroids.

PIONEERS is supported by a European consortium of research laboratories (ISAE-SUPAERO, ETHZ, IPGP, ORB, LMU) and an industrial partner (iXblue). This research initiative brings together cutting-edge skills in planetary instrumentation, geodesy and rotational seismology, as well as space electronics and optics.

EntrySat, the very first French 3U cubesat, was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 3 July at 16:25 UTC (18:25 local time). The main objectives of the EntrySat mission were to study the atmospheric re-entry of space debris. EntrySat was also to carry out experiments to communicate with the ground and measure the characteristics of the atmosphere.

EntrySat was part of the CNES JANUS project (Jeunes en Apprentissage pour la réalisation de Nanosatellites au sein des Universités et des écoles de l'enseignement supérieur). The development was led by the SSPA team and involved many researchers, engineers and students from ISAE-SUPAERO who participated in the design of the nanosatellite, assisted by ONERA and the University of Toulouse.

Access OPEN SCIENCE to find all our publications, theses, scientific instruments and technology platforms

Our Technologies and Instruments

The SSPA group plays a crucial role in the design and development of advanced technologies for space exploration. These technologies include:

Seismic and infrasound sensors to analyse the internal and atmospheric activities of planets.
On-board observation instruments to collect data in real time.
Shock and vibration detection systems used to study asteroids and comets.

David Mimoun

Head of SSPA Group

david.mimoun@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

The InSight Mission to Mars

The InSight mission was selected by NASA in August 2012 as part of the DISCOVERY programme. On November 26, 2018, it deployed the first geophysical observatory on Mars, with the aim of providing scientific knowledge essential to understanding the fundamental processes involved in the formation of telluric planets and their evolution. To achieve this, it carries two scientific instruments: The SEIS seismometer and HP3, an instrument for measuring heat flows from the planet’s core.

The SEIS seismometer, which measures seismic activity, meteorite impact flux, and Phobos tide measurements, characterises the inner structure of Mars, providing information on the thickness and structure of the crust, the composition and structure of the mantle, and the size of the core. It has been developed over more than 10 years by the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) with the support of CNES and CNRS, and a wide range of international partners: IPGP, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Max Planck Institute Lindau, Imperial College London and Oxford, Jet Propulsion Laboratory andISAE-SUPAERO.

SSPA researchers provide two mission co-investigators (David Mimoun, Raphael Garcia) and 5 collaborators (Naomi Murdoch, Nicolas Compaire, Leo Martire, Melanie Drilleau, Alexandre Stott), and have contributed to the InSight mission through the SEIS instrument performance model, the mission performance model, the specification of the scientific software and the design of the instrument’s concept of operations on Mars. They are also making a significant contribution to the exploitation of scientific data on the structure of the crust, the internal structure of the planet, and the study of dust devils.

Some of the SSPA group’s research themes related to the InSight mission:

Variations in wind (Murdoch et al. 2017), atmospheric pressure (Murdoch et al., 2018, Garcia et al., 2020), magnetic field or temperature are natural phenomena that create noise on the SEIS instrument. Understanding and predicting these sources of noise (Mimoun et al., 2017) has been important in designing the mission, defining the specifications and exploiting the data. To help NASA and the InSight team choose the best possible location for the SEIS instrument, we also produced performance and noise maps of each point around the lander. These maps list all the noises likely to interfere with the instrument's measurements and take into account all the known characteristics of the Martian environment.

Understanding the internal structure of the terrestrial planets (Earth, Mars and the Moon) is a fundamental challenge if we are to gain a better understanding of their formation process and evolution. To achieve this, the recordings made by terrestrial seismological stations, and those from the Apollo and InSight missions, are key data for probing the interior of planets. In this context, a major area of research is the development of algorithms for inversion of seismological and, more broadly, geophysical data, in order to estimate seismic velocity and temperature profiles in the interior of planets, as well as their mineralogical composition (Drilleau et al., 2013, 2020; Panning et al., 2015, 2017; Bissig, 2018; Garcia et al., 2019).

Determining the structure of the near surface provides constraints on the geological history of a planet. Pressure fluctuations in the Martian atmosphere generate small deformations in the soil, which can be measured by the SEIS seismometer on the InSight mission. These deformations are highly dependent on the elastic properties of the regolith. Using pressure, wind and ground deformation data records, it is possible to estimate the elastic parameters beneath the lander in the first 20 metres below the surface (Lognonné et al., 2019, Kenda et al., 2020, Garcia et al., 2020, Murdoch et al., 2020). Initial results have shown the presence of a transition between the regolith on the surface and a harder rock, which would correspond to blocks of rock ejected during a meteorite impact (Lognonné et al., 2020).

InSight measures wind speed, wind direction, and atmospheric pressure almost continuously, providing more data than previous ground missions. These meteorological sensors have detected hundreds of convective vortices (eddies) called dust devils when they collect dust and become visible. The InSight site has more vortices than any other place we've landed on Mars with weather sensors (Banfield, Spiga et al., 2020). SEIS can feel these vortices pulling at the surface like a giant hoover (Lorenz et al., 2015). As well as being able to calculate the elasticity of the Martian surface by measuring the suction of the soil by passing dust vortices (Lognonné et al., 2020; Banerdt et al., 2020), the combined seismic and pressure measurements can provide constraints on the properties of the vortices and its trajectories (Murdoch et al., 2020), and may indicate heterogeneities in the subsurface structure around the InSight lander (Golombek et al., 2020).

The Mars Microphone On Board NASA’s Perseverance Rover

The SSPA group is present on the NASA Perseverance rover (Mars 2020; which will prepare f or a sample return mission) through its contribution to the SuperCam instrument, which analyses rocks remotely using LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) technology.

We produced and supplied the first Martian microphone, which complements the LIBS measurements by providing calibrated information on rock hardness.

Some of the SSPA group’s research themes related to the Mars microphone:

We are studying the acoustic signal associated with plasma formation during the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) experiment on SuperCam. Our research shows that listening to LIBS sparks provides information about the target hardness/density. These results are independent of and complementary to the LIBS spectrum.

The microphone records the aeroacoustic noise generated by the wind passing in front of the microphone. Using experiments carried out in the Mars Wind Tunnel in Aarhus, we have demonstrated that the microphone on SuperCam has the potential to determine both the speed and direction of the wind on Mars, thereby contributing to scientific research into the atmosphere.

Small-Body Missions

The SSPA team is involved in a number of small body missions. Our involvement ranges from the development of instruments specifically for the exploration of small bodies, to the physical properties of the surface and internal structure of asteroids.

The AIDA mission
The MMX rover on Phobos
The H2020 NEO-MAPP project

Assessment of asteroid impact and deflection (DART + Hera)

NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission will reached Didymos in September 2022 and headed towards Dimorphos at a speed of around 6.6 km/s. The last thing that DART transmitted to Earth before the collision was an image of the surface of Dimorphos.

Post-impact investigations will be carried out initially from Earth, then by the other component of AIDA, ESA's Hera mission (scheduled for launch in 2024). The detailed post-impact studies of Hera (Michel et al., 2017) will transform the large-scale impact experiment into a well-understood and reproducible planetary defence technique.

The overall results from both missions should provide a baseline for planning any future planetary defence strategy, offering insight into the type of force needed to move an asteroid's orbit, and better understanding of how the technique could be applied if a real threat were to occur.

DART and Hera are autonomous; each mission alone will provide valuable knowledge. However, when combined, this knowledge will be multiplied considerably.

The SSPA's involvement in these missions is twofold: To help prepare the immediate operations of the Hera mission, in particular with regard to the landing and operational strategy of the CubeSats, and to conduct the scientific analyses of the DART and Hera missions, in particular with regard to the geophysical properties of Didymoon (internal structure and surface mechanical properties). Naomi Murdoch is co-I on the Hera mission and a collaborator on the DART mission.

The Martians Moons eXploration (MMX) mission from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, will visit the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos, and return samples from Phobos to Earth.

As part of this mission, a small rover (25 kg), provided by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), with additional contributions from INTA (Spain) and JAXA, will be delivered to the surface of Phobos.

The rover will be a technological demonstration of locomotion on a low-gravity, regolith-covered planetary surface. In addition, the rover will provide scientific data on the properties of the regolith (mechanical, mineralogical and thermal), provide contextual information for the returned samples, and help reduce the risks of MMX mission operations.

One of the four scientific instruments on board the rover is the 'WheelCams' (PI: Naomi Murdoch). These cameras will observe the interactions between the rover's wheels and the surface in order to characterise the mechanical properties of the regolith.

In the SSPA team, as well as preparing the analysis of the WheelCams data, we are studying the feasibility and expected performance of a wheeled vehicle on the surface of Phobos.

NEO-MAPP 'Near Earth Object Modeling And Payload for Protection' is a project funded by the European Commission's H2020 programme. This project addresses the theme of 'Advanced Research on Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and New Payload Technologies for Planetary Defence' (SUSPACE-23-SEC-2019).

The main objective of NEO-MAPP is to support the development and analysis of data from small-body missions, such as Hera, and to make significant advances both in our understanding of the response of near-Earth objects to external forces (in particular a kinetic impact or a close passage to a planet), and in the measurements made by space missions.

The objectives of NEO-MAPP are as follows:

Pushing the limits of numerical modelling of the response of NEOs to kinetic impact, as well as their physical and dynamic properties, while developing European modelling capabilities related to planetary defence and NEO exploration
Increasing the maturity of multiple European space instruments directly related to planetary defence, while focusing on measurements of the surface, shallow subsurface and interior properties of NEOs
Developing algorithms and simulators to prepare for proximity operations and data exploitation
Developing innovative and synergistic data measurement and analysis strategies that combine several instruments, to ensure optimal exploitation of data from small-body missions
Developing and validating robust GNC strategies and technologies enabling interaction between a surface and a CubeSat or small/micro-atterracer, and response measurements

The NEO-MAPP team will devote considerable resources to developing significant and innovative synergies between the two sub-themes. As such, NEO-MAPP will provide significant advances in our understanding of near-Earth objects while building on the expertise of European scientists and engineers in planetary defence efforts and small body exploration.

Some of the SSPA group’s research themes related to small bodies:

The dynamics of regolith (granular material on planetary surfaces) is also involved in the evolution of small bodies in our solar system and is essential for the design and/or operation of landers, sampling devices and rovers.

Landing on asteroids: Understanding surface-lander interactions is important for all landers as these considerations influence deployment strategy, mission design and operations, and even the choice of payload. To simulate landing on an asteroid, we have developed an Atwood machine: A variable-gravity drop tower (Sunday et al., 2016). With the tower, we perform low-speed collisions in low-gravity conditions. The results of our experiments indicate that low-gravity collisions lead to more fluidised grain behaviour (Murdoch et al., 2017). To see an experiment on the simulation of an asteroid landing.
Low-gravity rolling: Using a DEM code, which we have improved and validated to model the specific interactions of a wheel with the regolith of a small body (Sunday et al., 2020), we are studying how the behaviour of a wheel (traction, manoeuvrability, etc.) varies according to the type of regolith and at different gravity levels. The results will be used directly to plan the operations of the MMX rover and to interpret the interactions between the wheels and the regolith on Phobos.

Understanding the internal structure of an asteroid has important implications for interpreting its history and understanding its ongoing geological evolution, as well as for asteroid deflection and the use of in situ space resources. There is strong evidence that asteroids are seismically active (see Murdoch et al., 2015 for a review). The SSPA team studies the natural seismicity (tidal forces, impacts, thermal cracking,...) of asteroids to understand the consequences for their evolution and internal structure, and for future asteroid seismic stations (Garcia et al., 2015; Murdoch et al., 2017).

By measuring ground displacement due to seismic activity on the surface of asteroids, a geophone can provide constraints on the stratification and mechanical properties of the subsurface, in addition to the typical size of subsurface heterogeneities.

Seismology has long been considered a key technique for understanding a planetary body and its interior. However, despite the evidence that asteroids are seismically active and the obvious need to deepen our understanding of their internal structure, no seismic experiments have ever been carried out on the surface of an asteroid.

To achieve the objective of putting a seismometer on the surface of a small body, we are developing an instrument adapted to the environment of the small body. Our low-mass, low-power seismometer can be integrated into a small lander (e.g. a CubeSat) and can operate in the harsh environment of the asteroid's surface.

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

Check out the research department's thesis and post-doctorate vacancies

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

Scientific Publications

No Articles Available for the Provided RSS Feed.

DMSM at the Clément Ader Institute (ICA)

Involvement in MSC Group Activities

Our Main Projects

Our Partners

Academic Partners

Industry Partners

Involvement in SUMO Group Activities

Our Resources

Our Partners

Involvement in MS2M Group Activities

Our Partners

Directory

Job Offers

Thesis Offers

Internship Opportunities

Related Content

Integrated Image Sensors (CIMI) Scientific Group

Our Research Areas

Our Research and Development

In Collaboration with Manufacturers

R&D in the Space Environment

R&D on the Radiative Environment

Our Research Projects

On the Subject of Radiation

On the Space Theme

On the Physical Theme

On the Subject of Cryogenics

Our Partners

Our Design and Measurement Resources

Directory

Job Offers

Thesis Offers

Internship Opportunities

DEOS Scientific Publications

Related Content

Photonics Antenna Microwave PlasmaA (PAMPA) Scientific Group

Our Research Themes

Optoelectronics for Aerospace Payloads and Telecommunications (OPTO)

Microwave Plasma Interaction (IMP)

Our Research Facilities

Directory

Job Offers

Thesis Offers

Internship Opportunities

DEOS Scientific Publications

Related Content

Navigation, Radar, and Remote Sensing (NAVIR² eS) Scientific Group

Our Research Themes

Our Research Areas

Directory

Job Offers

Thesis Offers

Internship Opportunities

DEOS Scientific Publications

Related Content

Communication and Information Theory (ComiT) Scientific Group

Our Research Themes

Our Research Areas

Directory

Job Offers

Thesis Offers

Internship Opportunities

DEOS Scientific Publications

Related Content

Languages, Arts, Cultures, and Societies Department (LACS)

Our research department

Our activities at LACS

Languages and communication

Body practices

Arts and culture

Economics and management

Diversity: Our strong point!

Objectives and expected skills :

Betting on the sensitivity of each individual

The programme

1ʳᵉ year

2ᵉ year

3ᵉ year

The DESIA

The grand oral :