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Space Systems for Planetology and Applications (SSPA) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 21 January 2026

The “Space Systems for Planetology and Applications” (SSPA) scientific group focuses on one main area of research: The development of missions and associated technologies for geophysical exploration of the solar system.

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.

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The sound of a Martian dust devil captured by the SuperCam microphone on Perseverance

This video and audio show the results obtained by NASA's Perseverance Mars rover and its SuperCam microphone when recording the sounds of a Martian dust devil passing overhead on 27 September 2021, the 215th Martian day or sol of the mission. The dust devil was 25 metres wide and at least 118 metres high, moving at a speed of approximately 19 km/h. This is the first time such a recording has been made, as capturing a dust devil requires a bit of luck. Indeed, it flew over the rover at a time when all of Perseverance's sensors measuring wind, pressure, temperature and dust, plus the NavigationXXX (Navcam) camera, were running. This allowed scientists to combine sounds, images and atmospheric data. The unique combination of this data, along with atmospheric modelling, enabled researchers to estimate the dimensions of the dust devil. Scientists cannot accurately predict when these vortices will occur. Rovers such as Perseverance and Curiosity monitor them regularly. When scientists notice that they are more frequent at a certain time of day or approaching from a certain direction, they focus their monitoring to try to capture a dust devil with all the sensors at their disposal. > To better understand the video, it shows three rows of images: - the row

DEOS

Researcher

Space

News

The project for an unmanned, zero-emission aircraft to cross the South Atlantic

Innovation

Researcher

Sustainability

Videos

Perseverance collects first Martian sounds: explanation by Dr. Naomi Murdoch & Dr. Alexander Stott

Dr Naomi Murdoch, researcher in space instrumentation and planetary science, and Dr Alexander Stott, post-doctoral fellow, tell us more about the physical characteristics of Mars' atmosphere, in particular the speed of sound and its attenuation. These analyses were published in Nature on April 1, 2022 by an international team led by a teacher-researcher from Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier University, and including scientists from CNRS and ISAE-SUPAERO.

DEOS

Researcher

Space

News

A protocol chosen to secure communications with quantum computers

DISC

Researcher

Scientific publication

News

“My summer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory”: Axel’s account, a student on the TAS Astro Advanced Master’s programme

Since May, Axel Coulon has been interning at NASA's famous JPL in Los Angeles. He is working on detecting helicopter landing sites on Mars. A student in the MS TAS Astro programme, he recounts this incredible space adventure that took him from his native Lorraine to California.

Internship

Programme

Space

Pages

Aerospace Summer Programme

Enjoy a unique experience at the heart of aeronautics and space technology with intensive courses, exclusive industrial visits, and an international immersion in Paris, Poitiers and Toulouse.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Aerospace summer program

Pages

Electronics, Optronics, and Signal Processing Department (DEOS)

At ISAE SUPAERO, the Department of Electronics, Optronics and Signal Processing (DEOS) studies, designs and produces scientific instruments for aeronautics, space and defense applications, with a strong focus on advanced systems and planetary exploration missions.

DEOS

News

Focus on... quantum physics in ISAE-SUPAERO training courses

ISAE-SUPAERO has been integrating quantum physics into its training and research activities uninterruptedly since 1980, and for the past two decades has been offering courses linked to the second quantum revolution.

DEOS

Ingénieur généraliste (MSc)

Teacher researcher

News

Seven ISAE-SUPAERO students set out to conquer Mars in the Utah desert

For four weeks, seven engineering students will experience a simulation of life on Mars in the Utah desert in the United States. From 18th February to 16th March, they will conduct experiments in collaboration with CNES and several research laboratories at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS).

Space

Student club

Pages

Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC)

Within ISAE-SUPAERO, the Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC) develops skills in mathematics and computer science for aeronautical and space engineering. In both teaching and research, it focuses on the models, methods, and tools needed to control the behavior and performance of complex systems. This complexity may be induced by the multi-physics or multi-scale nature of the systems studied, their dynamic behavior, or their distributed and communicating structure.

DISC

PhD

Researcher

Videos

Sylvestre Maurice, astrophysicist and ISAE-SUPAERO alumnus

Awarded a prize by the Académie des Sciences in 2020, Sylvestre Maurice #astrophysicist at the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP) in Toulouse witnessed the landing of the #Perseverance rover on Mars on February 18, 2021. A historic moment for this enthusiast, who is also the scientific manager of the onboard SuperCam instrument. A 1990 graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO, Sylvestre Maurice tells us about his career.

Alumni

Researcher

Space

Events

2026 edition of "Les Entretiens de Toulouse"

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Event

Videos

Arnaud Prost, ESA reserve astronaut and ISAE-SUPAERO alumnus: “I was incredibly lucky to be here”

Fighter pilot and reserve astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA), Arnaud Prost returned to his former school on Thursday March 28 to meet 200 secondary school students as part of the ISAE SUPAERO OSE program. It was an opportunity for him to recall the “great memories” of his student experience at ISAE-SUPAERO, his long-standing commitment to the student social outreach program and the “Aquanauts” scheme he set up with OSE l'ISAE-SUPAERO. And in passing, he offers a few words of advice to young people who might dream of following in his footsteps: “Don't let yourself be convinced that one of these paths isn't for you!” A 2017 graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO, Arnaud Prost is among those selected for the ESA Astronaut Class of 2022, alongside Sophie Adenot and Anthea Comellini, both also alumni of the school. They join other illustrious ESA astronauts who have already studied at the school: Thomas Pesquet, Luca Parmitano and Samantha Cristoforetti. Since 1970, ISAE-SUPAERO has contributed to the progress of the space age through its training, research and innovation activities. As the only organization in France to offer degree courses (engineering, master's, specialized master's, doctorate) covering all 22 space-related themes identified by CNES, the Institute offers a royal road to space careers. For Arnaud Prost's full profile: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/A

Alumni

Diversity program

Space

Events

The "Assises du NewSpace" returns on July 7 & 8, 2026!

Event

Space

Videos

Discover the portrait of Anthéa COMELLINI doctoral student at ISAE-SUPAERO

Anthéa completed her thesis in the Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC). Her thesis is entitled “Vision-based autonomous rendezvous with non-cooperative targets”. Anthéa is attached to the AA - Aéronautique Astronautique doctoral school. Her thesis, carried out in collaboration with Thales Alenia Space, is part of the CIFRE* program ISAE-SUPAERO hosts its doctoral students in six teams at ISAE-SUPAERO, ONERA and the Clément Ader Institute, covering a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines related to aeronautics and space: aerodynamics and propulsion, structures and materials, onboard systems, networks and telecommunications, systems control and operation, human factors, electronics, signals. ISAE-SUPAERO offers a rich and diversified doctoral training program, leading to the doctorate, the highest level diploma awarded by the institute, and recognized internationally. *Since 1981, the CIFRE scheme - Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la REcherche (Industrial Conventions for Training through Research) - has enabled companies to benefit from financial assistance to recruit a young doctoral student whose research, supervised by a public research laboratory, will lead to the completion of a thesis in three years. CIFREs are fully funded by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, which has entrusted ANRT (Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie) with their implementation.

PhD

Thesis

News

Alexandre Bouraoui Takes Gold at the 2025 International Astronautical Congress

Final-year engineering apprentice, specializing in Industrialisation and Methods for Aeronautics and Space, Alexandre Bouraoui was recently honored at the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025) in Sydney, where he won the prestigious Hermann Oberth Gold Medal in the Graduate category. We spoke with him about his award and his studies at ISAE-SUPAERO.

Congress

DEOS

Event

News

OPEN SCIENCE ISAE-SUPAERO: ISAE-SUPAERO science in the open air!

ISAE-SUPAERO continues to contribute to the open science movement and has created a new open archive platform called OPEN SCIENCE ISAE-SUPAERO. It provides everyone with access to our theses, publications, scientific instruments and technological platforms.

Science

Scientific publication

Thesis

News

CASTOR Chair: ISAE-SUPAERO and Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse celebrate 1 year of partnership

Aeronautics

Chair

Partnership

Videos

Discover... ISAE-SUPAERO's cryogenic equipment for electrical testing

ISAE-SUPAERO - as a center for training through research, research training and innovation - has a wide range of research equipment used by its 6 research departments. Today, we present our cryogenic equipment for electrical testing! ISAE-SUPAERO's image sensor research group (CIMI) studies sensors in the visible wavelength range, but also sensors in different spectral ranges such as infrared. Detection of these longer wavelengths requires materials other than silicon for detection, combined with a silicon readout circuit for information processing, all operating at cryogenic temperature. In this context, ISAE-SUPAERO has developed electrical and electro-optical characterization benches for low-temperature microelectronic circuits, in order to extract and model their behavior and performance. These characterization benches can address both very simple circuits, such as transistors, and complex components (complete sensors) with up to 120 inputs/outputs.

DEOS

Pages

Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP)

At ISAE SUPAERO, the Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department has a staff of 62, 30 research projects including 5 on a European scale, an exceptional fleet of test facilities for teaching and research purposes, and three research groups contributing to a growth strategy focused on 4 themes of current scientific and social-economic challenge, supported by 2 structuring projects: the SAA wind tunnel and the IC3 large-scale simulation code.

DAEP

PhD

Researcher

News

Mars hit by meteorites more often than previously thought

Two researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO contributed to new discoveries based on data from the seismometer sent to Mars during the InSight mission, one of whose main objectives was to measure seismic activity on the Red Planet.

Space

Videos

Discover the portrait of Paolo PANICUCCI doctoral student at ISAE-SUPAERO

Paolo has completed his thesis in the Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC). His thesis is entitled: Navigation based on autonomous vision and shape reconstruction of an unknown asteroid during the approach phase. It is attached to the AA - Aéronautique Astronautique doctoral school. ISAE-SUPAERO hosts its doctoral students in six teams at ISAE-SUPAERO, ONERA and the Clément Ader Institute, covering a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines related to aeronautics and space: aerodynamics and propulsion, structures and materials, embedded systems, networks and telecommunications, systems control and operation, human factors, electronics and signals. ISAE-SUPAERO offers a rich and diversified doctoral training program, leading to the doctorate, the highest level diploma awarded by the institute, and recognized internationally. Link to his thesis: http://www.theses.fr/s253653

PhD

Thesis

Events

ISAE-SUPAERO will be at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget from June 16 to 22, 2025

ISAE-SUPAERO will be present at the 55ᵉ Salon International de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace at Le Bourget from June 16 to 22, 2025!

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Event

Videos

Training courses: space studies

Find out more about our courses and #information in the field of space! The space dimension is strongly developed within our various training courses, whether in specific streams or dedicated programs. French and international students alike are showing a keen interest in our educational programs in Earth observation and the sciences of the Universe, as well as in the design and operation of space systems. Space research and industry employ many ISAE-SUPAERO engineers. Explore the world of space!

Programme

Space

News

RAMSES: ISAE-SUPAERO at the heart of a historic planetary defense mission

Le sismomètre SIA développé par l'ISAE-SUPAERO est une première mondiale pour explorer l'astéroïde Apophis

DEOS

Research

Space

News

Listening to the Martian past: ISAE-SUPAERO at the heart of the ExoMars mission

ESA's ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission to explore Mars will carry a unique instrument for recording sound and atmospheric data from the planet. The Institute has been selected by ESA and CNES for this major scientific collaboration.

DEOS

Researcher

Science

Pages

Connected Systems (SysCo) Scientific Group

The scientific dynamic of the “Connected Systems” (SysCo) scientific group focuses primarily on network-related issues in aerospace applications, i.e. space communications, embedded networks and certain types of connected systems.

DISC

Doctoral student

PhD

News

ISAE-SUPAERO announces new partnership with ESA Academy to support future Master in Aerospace Engineering students

Aerospace

Master in Aerospace Engineering

Scholarship

News

Les Assises du New Space: update of the “Ambition NewSpace 2027” report

In 2022, the Assises du NewSpace collective - a group of players representing the French space industry - published the report “Ambition NewSpace 2027”. Today, the collective is launching another major national consultation to update this report and shape the future of French space!

Conference

Round table

Space

News

ISAE-SUPAERO researchers explore the quantum universe

DISC

Researcher

Scientific publication

Pages

Institute for Sustainable Aviation

Created in 2021 on the initiative of internationally renowned academic institutions with longstanding academic expertise in aeronautics and air transport, the ISA is an institute dedicated to the challenges of aviation's transition to sustainability.

Aeronautics

Aviation

Decarbonization

Events

AASTRA Certificate: Introductory Webinar on May 26 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Air transport

Testimonials

Testimony of Juan-Carlos DOLADO-PEREZ, alumni of the 2008 Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering

Alumni

Space

Testimonial

Videos

FRENCH SUPERCAM INSTRUMENT RECORDING THE SOUND OF INGENUITY'S 4th FLIGHT

Located 80 meters from the rover at the moment of take-off, the small helicopter rose to 5 meters above the ground before covering a distance of 133 meters before returning to land where it had taken off from. SuperCam's scientific microphone, developed by ISAE-SUPAERO, recorded the sound emitted by the rotation of the Martian drone's blades during its flight. This sound has a characteristic frequency of 84 Hz, equivalent to the low “E” of a piano or the bass voice of a human being. “This is a big surprise for the whole scientific team,” says Naomi Murdoch, a researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO who is studying the data from the microphone. "Tests carried out in a Martian atmosphere simulator to design this instrument, and our theories of sound propagation, indicated that the microphone would have great difficulty picking up the sounds of the helicopter. Indeed, Mars' thin atmosphere strongly attenuates sound transmission. We needed a bit of luck to record the helicopter from such a distance. We're very pleased to have succeeded in obtaining this recording, which is proving to be a goldmine for our understanding of the Martian atmosphere". Developed jointly by ISAE-SUPAERO and a consortium of CNRS laboratories and its partners, coordinated by CNES, SuperCam's microphone is derived from a consumer model adapted to withstand the Martian environment. It pursues 3 substantial scientific and technical objectives of the Mars 2020 mission: Study the sound associated with laser impacts on Martian rocks, to gain a better understanding of their mechanical properties. Improving our understanding of atmospheric phenomena (wind turbulence, dust eddies, wind interactions with the rover, and now with the helicopter). Understanding the sound signature of the rover's various movements (robotic arm and mast operations, driving on normal or uneven ground, pump monitoring, etc.). The microphone was first switched on a few hours after Perseverance landed. It recorded the first Martian sounds generated by turbulence in the atmosphere. It is used daily in conjunction with laser rock ablation for chemical analysis of Mars. ABOUT THE MARS 2020 MISSION: NASA is relying on Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the development of the Mars 2020 mission. SuperCam was developed jointly by LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) and a consortium of laboratories attached to the CNRS, French universities and research establishments. Several Spanish universities, led by the University of Valladolid, are also contributing to the instrument. CNES is responsible to NASA for the French contribution to SuperCam. The instrument is operated alternately from LANL and the French Operations Center for Science and Exploration (FOCSE) at CNES in Toulouse.

DEOS

Researcher

Space

Videos

Discover... ISAE-SUPAERO's mobile ground robots

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'd like to introduce you to mobile ground robots! Whether robots, airplanes, cars or even telephones, all these technologies are equipped with perception systems. Depending on the application, these sources of information make it possible to perceive the environment in which a system is evolving, and also to measure its own characteristics, such as speed or acceleration. This multitude of data must then be used, cross-referenced and interpreted within the navigation system to obtain the vehicle's position, but also, in the case of mapping applications, that of surrounding objects. Within the DEOS NAVIRRES team, researchers are interested in navigation systems and their application in complex environments where sensor information may be degraded, erroneous or unavailable. Mobile acquisition platforms are being developed. These are equipped with cameras, lidars, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receivers, radars and inertial units, with the aim of obtaining the most efficient navigation system for the application in question. One of the team's research themes is the analysis of the degradation of sensor information, enabling the development of new robust and adaptive algorithms to compensate for environmental constraints. The aim is to make navigation systems more accurate and safer, for critical applications requiring strong reliability constraints, such as autonomous cars or exploration robotics.

DEOS

News

DART: ISAE-SUPAERO students publish new scientific findings in Nature Communications

Naomi Murdoch, a planetary science researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO, is actively involved in scientific analysis and data interpretation for NASA's DART mission.

DEOS

Space

Videos

The Dart mission has hit its target: explanations from Dr Naomi Murdoch, planetary scientist at ISAE-SUPAERO

Researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO are participating in this first planetary defence mission. Dr. Naomi Murdoch, a researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO and scientific member of the #DART and #HERA missions, comments on the objectives of DART and those of the European HERA mission, which will arrive in the area in 2026 to characterise the crater left by DART and study the internal structure of the asteroid #Dimorphos!

DEOS

Researcher

Space

Pages

Support for the Development of the ISAE Group - GIFAS

GIFAS (Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales - French Aerospace Industries Group) supports the development of high-level academic and professional education in aerospace systems at the 6 Grandes Écoles that make up the ISAE Group (ISAE-ENSMA, ISAE-SUPMECA, ESTACA, Ecole de l'Air et de l'Espace, ENAC, ISAE-SUPAERO).

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Chair

Pages

Job offers

Aeronautics

Aerospace

News

ISAE-SUPAERO contributes to the Artemis IV mission with the SPSS seismology instrument

NASA selects the JPL/CNES instrument suite for the Artemis IV mission, paving the way for unprecedented exploration of the Moon’s internal structure at the South Pole.

DEOS

Exploration

Space

Pages

French Space Defence Academy

In order to drive and implement the ambitions set out in the Space Defence Strategy, the creation of a space defence expertise sector offering attractive programmes is a major challenge. In this regard, the French Space Defence Academy (ASD) offers programmes available within the Armed Forces Ministry and leverages synergies between them to provide a personalised approach to space programmes.

Defence

Education

Partner

Pages

Scientific and research integrity

ISAE-SUPAERO is one of the signatories of the National Charter of Ethics for Research Professions, adopted in January 2015 by the Conference of University Presidents (CPU) and all national research organizations, and incorporated into the Institute's internal regulations.

DAEP

DCAS

DEOS

News

Mattéo Gouzien: itinerary of an award-winning engineer and PhD student committed to decarbonized aviation!

Mattéo Gouzien, a graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO and currently a doctoral student at IMS Bordeaux and ONERA, has been passionate about science from an early age. His remarkable academic and personal career has been guided by a relentless desire for knowledge and a quest for meaning. Winner of the SEE's André Blanc-Lapierre national prize and of the PEGASUS 2025 student conference, Mattéo talks about his rich career path: from preparatory school to his thesis on reducing aviation emissions.

Aeronautics

Ingénieur généraliste (MSc)

Portrait

Pages

Our doctoral training

Doctoral program

Doctoral student

PhD

Pages

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 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.

DMSM

Doctoral student

PhD

Testimonials

Testimony from Alexandre Bouraoui, engineering student by apprenticeship and IAC 2025 Award Winner

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Congress

Testimonials

Testimony from Yves Gourinat, elected full member of the Air and Space Academy

DMSM

Structures and materials

Teacher researcher

Videos

Feedback: a Latecoere engineer in the ISAE-SUPAERO laboratories

To strengthen the links between industry and research, more than 10 industrial R&D engineers have been made available to ISAE-SUPAERO as part of the France Relance plan! Cyril Geneste, research engineer at Latecoere, is one of them. Together with Miguel Charlotte, Associate Professor at the Institute, he looks back on this fruitful two-year collaboration. Their work, carried out in the ISAE-SUPAERO laboratories, focused on the behavior of aircraft door seals, which ensure cabin airtightness. Thanks to the Institute's cutting-edge equipment and academic expertise, Cyril Geneste was able in particular to carry out numerical modeling of seals in order to test their behavior. Students in their 3rdᵉ year of engineering studies were also involved in this work.

Aeronautics

Researcher

News

HACKATHON Data Sciences: AI in action!

From February 24 to 26, forty-five students will explore three topical issues involving Artificial Intelligence (AI) during a three-day hackathon. The student teams involved will attempt to meet the challenges posed by three industrial partners on the themes of the environment, industrialization and digitization technology. ISAE-SUPAERO confirms its commitment to training in data science and artificial intelligence through its Decision and Data Sciences (DDS) course.

Artificial intelligence

Hackathon

Events

Interdisciplinary Congress on Extreme Worlds - CIME

Do you work in or on extreme environments? Come and take part in the first edition of the Interdisciplinary Congress on Extreme Worlds (CIME)!

Congress

Research

Science

Pages

The “Certificate of Advanced Studies in Human Spaceflight” offered by the Spaceflight Institute in collaboration with ISAE-SUPAERO

The Spaceflight Institute is the first institute dedicated to training in human spaceflight. In partnership with ISAE-SUPAERO, it offers an intensive training program that enables participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges of human spaceflight and to position themselves within a rapidly expanding ecosystem, marked by future lunar and Martian missions as well as the rapid emergence of commercial space stations and private initiatives in low Earth orbit.

Education

Innovation

Partner

Pages

Communication and Information Theory (ComiT) Scientific Group

The “Communication and Information Theory” (ComiT) scientific group is involved in the disciplines of digital communications, radar, and channel access techniques. Its fields of application include space systems, civil and military aviation, terrestrial cellular networks and the Internet of Things (IoT).

DEOS

Doctoral program

Doctoral student

Videos

Discover... the ISAE-SUPAERO plasma bench

ISAE-SUPAERO – as a centre for training through research, research training and innovation – has a wide range of research equipment used within its six research departments. Today, we present white plasma! With the emergence of #NewSpace, more and more CubeSats are being launched. On these small platforms (CubeSats consist of one or more standard 10 cm cubes), several subsystems must coexist. While electric propulsion solutions save space and weight on board, their electromagnetic compatibility with on-board communication systems is still being questioned today. ISAE-SUPAERO, in collaboration with CNES and LAPLACE, is currently developing simulation tools and characterisation methods to provide engineers with tools for designing CubeSats and effective testing methods to address this issue. This experimental bench developed at ISAE-SUPAERO allows the characterisation of a plasma discharge representative of an electric thruster, as well as the measurement of its interactions with microwave signals generated by nearby communication antennas. Finally, the experimental data obtained will be used to calibrate the numerical analysis tools currently being developed by our teams.

DEOS

News

Meeting with Yves Gourinat, elected as a full member of the Air and Space Academy

Yves Gourinat is a professor of structural physics in the Structural Mechanics and Materials Department (DMSM) at ISAE-SUPAERO. Already a corresponding member since 2019, he has just been elected a full member of the French Academy of Aeronautics and Space.

Aeronautics

Award

Teacher researcher

Testimonials

Testimony of Giuseppe Cataldo, alumnus of the 2010 Engineer ISAE-SUPAERO programme

Alumni

Space

Testimonial

Videos

ISAE-SUPAERO publishes its Aviation and Climate Reference Framework

The ISAE-SUPAERO #Aviation and #Climate reference framework aims to provide #scientific information useful for understanding the challenges facing aviation and the climate. This work has undergone a specific review process involving both ISAE-SUPAERO staff and external researchers from various institutes.

Decarbonization

Researcher

Sustainability

Testimonials

Testimonial of Baptiste Sigal, Advanced Master® TAS ASTRO student (class) 2025

Advanced Master

Aerospace

Space

Videos

SUPERCAM Educational Kits / Martian Exploration: Students at the controls of the kits

Follow ISAE-SUPAERO students as they create educational kits, a digital educational tool designed to raise awareness of space exploration that can be used in classrooms from Year 7 to Year 13.

Diversity program

Equal opportunities

Space

Pages

Prior Experience Accreditation

The validation of prior experience is an individual right enshrined in the French Labor Code and Education Code. It enables candidates to obtain all - or part - of a professional certification (Diploma, Professional Title, Certificate of Professional Qualification), based on their professional, salaried or non-salaried and/or voluntary experience. This scheme can be used if the candidate is seeking personal recognition, or more generally to support a professional project that he or she wishes to put into practice.

Advanced Master

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Events

16th EASN International Conference

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Event

Testimonials

Testimony from Axel Coulon, student (class of 2024) of the TAS ASTRO Advanced Master®

Advanced Master

Space

Testimonial

News

Meteorite impact reveals new insights into Mars

In September 2021, NASA's InSight mission recorded a meteorite impact. Analysis of the data by scientists has revolutionised our understanding of the internal structure of Mars and its evolution. Its mantle is not homogeneous, as previously assumed, but composed of a layer of molten silicates overlying the core. Press release from the IPGP - Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris: ‘The InSight mission reveals a molten layer at the base of the Martian mantle’.

DEOS

Space

Pages

Our Semester & Short Programmes

Discover ISAE-SUPAERO's academic excellence through our semester and short programmes, open to international students.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Aerospace summer program

News

Focus on... quantum physics at ISAE-SUPAERO: a student journey

DEOS

Doctoral student

Ingénieur généraliste (MSc)

Pages

Applied Mathematics (MA) Scientific Group

The “Applied Mathematics” (MA) scientific group covers a wide range of topics: Stochastic processes (especially Markov processes), numerical optimization (especially multidisciplinary optimization) and parallel computing, stabilization, control and numerical solution of partial differential equations, and financial engineering.

DISC

Doctoral student

PhD

News

The Jupiter system: a unique laboratory for a major scientific breakthrough

Nicolas André, teacher-researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO, co-authors a major discovery in Nature Communications.

DEOS

Exploration

Space

Videos

Orbit Your Thesis: ISAE-SUPAERO in zero gravity with the AIM experiment

Artery In Microgravity (#AIM), the first student scientific experiment designed and developed in collaboration since 2018 by ISAE-SUPAERO and Polytechnique Turin, was launched on 23 November 2022 by Space X's Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station (ISS)! Selected by the ESA as part of its ‘Orbit your thesis’ programme, AIM aims to study the behaviour of the heart and its arteries in space, in order to determine whether people with heart problems will one day be able to stay there.

Prize

Space

News

The 2025 Edmond Brun Prize from the French Academy of Sciences awarded to Annafederica Urbano, professor at ISAE-SUPAERO

On October 28, 2025, the Academy of Sciences awarded the Edmond Brun Prize to Annafederica Urbano, professor of space launch vehicles at ISAE-SUPAERO. This biennial physics award recognizes her entire body of work in the field of space propulsion.

DCAS

News

Prize

News

Ariane 6: at ISAE-SUPAERO, researchers are already working on the future

The European Ariane 6 launcher incorporates major technological innovations such as the Vinci engine, capable of reigniting in space. At ISAE-SUPAERO, researchers are tackling the challenges posed by the rocket engines of tomorrow.

Space

Events

AASTRA Certificate: presentation webinar on March 25 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Air transport

News

ISAE-SUPAERO and Spaceflight Institute join forces to train tomorrow's manned flight experts

On July 29, 2025, ISAE-SUPAERO and the Spaceflight Institute signed a partnership agreement for the joint creation of a “Certificate of Advanced Studies in Human Spaceflight”. This new semester-long program aims to train a new generation of space professionals, combining academic excellence with operational expertise.

Certificates of advanced studies

Education

Space

News

An exceptional scholarship for an innovative project

Naomi Murdoch, a researcher in physics and planetology at ISAE-SUPAERO, has just been awarded the prestigious Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for her planetary body study project called GRAVITE. This ambitious scientific project aims to design a variable gravity machine that will enable the simulation and study of extraterrestrial soils.

DEOS

Scholarship

Space

Pages

Directory

Our doctoral training

Last Updated On 29 July 2025

Research

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

Our scientific activities cover a broad spectrum of strategic themes, closely linked to the major challenges facing the aerospace sector. Supported by our research departments, our activities combine academic excellence, technological innovation, and responses to industrial and societal challenges. Thanks to our complementary approach and our openness to interdisciplinarity, the Institute is positioned as a major player in French and international research.

Our research policy is resolutely focused on the technological challenges of tomorrow, in response to the emerging needs of the aerospace and high technology industries. This dynamic approach is underpinned by close collaboration with industry, through sponsorship agreements in strategic areas, and the active participation of a large number of professionals in teaching, who pass on the latest innovations and best practices in the sector.

Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

International

ISAE-SUPAERO's research contributes to its position as an international leader for its general engineering curriculum, its post-graduate courses, in particular Master's degree in aerospace engineering (MAE), Advanced Master® and doctorate (PhD) programmes.

Interdiscplinary

We combine an interdisciplinary approach with advanced research into scientific knowledge, models, methodological approaches, and tools for the design of aeronautical, space and embedded systems, from the expression of requirements and specifications through to verification and validation (V&V) or qualification with planned future certification.

Innovative

ISAE-SUPAERO's scientific strategy addresses the societal and industrial challenges of sustainable development and the performance of aerospace systems, including issues of safety, security, resilience, competitiveness, (digital) virtualisation, new technologies, processes, services or innovative concepts.

ISAE-SUPERO's research activity has developed considerably in recent years.

The Institute's laboratories employ around 400 people.
The campus is also home to ONERA's Toulouse research centre, which also has 400 employees.

The ISAE-SUPAERO and ONERA laboratories cover a wide range of activities and disciplines related to aeronautics and space - from aerodynamics to neuroergonomics to the development of new technologies in
electronics, signal processing, and structural mechanics. Nearly 300 doctoral students are enrolled at ISAE-SUPAERO.

The ISAE-SUPAERO laboratories are open to all our students. The campus has been designed to combine research and teaching areas, and to ensure that students have easy and permanent access to researchers.

Our campus is also adjacent to that of Paul Sabatier University and major CNRS laboratories such as LAAS and the Midi-Pyrénées Observatory - partners that offer many opportunities for discovery or work placements for our students who are interested in research.

Of the 130 permanent teaching staff at ISAE-SUPAERO, 120 are also researchers.

The general engineering curriculum includes extensive exposure to research. In the second year, our faculty offer students research placements in the school's laboratories or those of our partners in Toulouse.

Some teaching activities, such as Experimental Practice' in the first year or practical work as part of elective or third-year courses, also take place in research laboratories. Our doctoral students are also on hand to give lectures and tutorials.

For students who are interested in doing a thesis, a 'research pathway' has been set up, which allows them to adjust their schooling and spread their third year over two years, so that they can do work placements in several laboratories, particularly abroad, before starting their thesis.

Our engineering students can also take a research-oriented Master's degree during their third year, with courses that allow them to combine a general engineering degree with a Master's degree in fields such as the sciences of the universe or operational research. As a result, around 15% of our students go on to do a PhD, either with us or in other laboratories in France or abroad.

SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND RESEARCH: ISAE-SUPAERO is a signatory to the National Charter of Ethics for Research Professionals, which governs research activities to ensure that they are honest and rigorous

5 Strategic Priorities

ISAE-SUPAERO’s scientific policy for aeronautical and space systems is organised into 5 strategic areas:

Integrated design for aerospace system performance, operational safety, and the environment
Models and optimisation for energy efficiency, the environment, and competitiveness
Earth observation, environmental monitoring, and space exploration
Resilient telecommunications, networks, and connected cyber-physical systems
Data analysis, decision sciences, and mastering complexity

6 Research Departments

As part of its missions and under the aegis of its Research Council, ISAE-SUPAERO and its 6 departments, carries out its scientific strategy in two research units (laboratories evaluated by the HCERES):

ISAE-SUPAERO Research, a multidisciplinary laboratory and the Institute’s own unit
Institut Clément Ader (ICA) UMR n°5312 of the CNRS, a solid mechanics laboratory in the Midi-Pyrénées region under the supervision of the CNRS, UT3, INSA, MINES-ALBI, and ISAE-SUPAERO

and with the support of 6 doctoral schools in the Toulouse area, in particular the Aeronautics and Astronautics Doctoral School (EDAA), of which ISAE-SUPAERO is the supporting institution.

ISAE-SUPAERO leads scientific, disciplinary, or cross-disciplinary themes, as well as cross-disciplinary research and innovation actions (ATRI), which are extended into national scientific interest groups: the 'Microdrones' and 'Centre Spatial Universitaire Toulousain' GISs.

LACS research is housed in the LISST and LAIRDIL laboratories at UT2 Jean Jaurès, which are evaluated separately.

ISAE-SUPAERO's partnership with ONERA and ENAC is a key element of the higher education and research cluster dedicated to the 'aeronautics and space' sector on the Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées Federal University site.

OPEN SCIENCE: ISAE-SUPAERO'S SCIENCE AVAILABLE TO ALL

Discover OPEN SCIENCE: Our new open archive platform.

Anyone can access our theses, publications, scientific instruments, and technological platforms.

Discover ISAE-SUPAERO's 4 commitments to Open Science!

Further Information

Find out more about our six research departments: DEOS, DCAS, DISC, DAEP, DMSM, and LACS.

DEOS

The Electronics, Optronics, and Signal Processing Department (DEOS) develops and produces payloads for tomorrow's advanced aeronautical and space applications. The skills of its teams cover a wide range of technologies, from the design of silicon sensors to interplanetary scientific payloads, and from signal theory studies to advanced communication and navigation systems.

Further Information

DCAS

The Aerospace Vehicle Design and Operation Department (DCAS) develops methods, simulation tools, and experimental platforms for the design and operation of aerospace vehicles.

Further Information

DISC

The Department of Complex Systems Engineering (DISC) develops skills in mathematics and computer science for aeronautical and space engineering. In both teaching and research, it focuses on the models, methods, and tools needed to control the behaviour and performance of complex systems. This complexity may be induced by the multi-physics or multiscale nature of the systems studied, their dynamic behaviour, or their distributed and communicating structure.

Further Information

DAEP

The Aerodynamics and Propulsion Department: 62 people, 30 research projects, including 5 on a European scale, an exceptional fleet of test facilities for teaching and research purposes, 3 research groups contributing to a growth strategy focused on 4 themes with topical scientific and social-economic challenges, supported by 2 structuring projects: the SAA wind tunnel and the IC3 large-scale simulation code.

Further Information

DMSM

The role of the Structures and Materials Mechanics Department is to organise and supervise all teaching activities in the mechanics of deformable solids for ISAE-SUPAERO courses, in synergy with upstream and applied research activities on aeronautical materials and structures. This strong interaction between teaching and research is the basis of our department's organisation.

Further information

LACS

In the Languages, Arts, Cultures, and Societies Department, we teach languages, interculturality, geopolitics, general culture, economics, sport... Multi-dimensional skills that bring out knowledge, interpersonal skills, know-how and interpersonal skills.

Further Information

Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

Electronics, Optronics, and Signal Processing Department (DEOS)

At ISAE SUPAERO, the Department of Electronics, Optronics and Signal Processing (DEOS) studies, designs and produces scientific instruments for aeronautics, space and defense applications, with...

Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles Department (DCAS)

At ISAE-SUPAERO, the Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles Department (DCAS) develops methods, simulation tools and experimental platforms for the design and operation of aerospace...

Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP)

At ISAE SUPAERO, the Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department has a staff of 62, 30 research projects including 5 on a European scale, an exceptional...

Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department (DMSM)

The Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department is responsible for organizing and supervising all teaching activities in deformable solid mechanics for ISAE-SUPAERO training courses, in...

Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC)

Within ISAE-SUPAERO, the Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC) develops skills in mathematics and computer science for aeronautical and space engineering. In both teaching and research,...

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

Institute for Sustainable Aviation

Created in 2021 on the initiative of internationally renowned academic institutions with longstanding academic expertise in aeronautics and air transport, the ISA is an institute...

Scientific and Research Integrity

ISAE-SUPAERO is one of the signatories of the National Charter of Ethics for Research Professions, adopted in January 2015 by the Conference of University Presidents...

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