PhD offer
Full-time
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Doctoral student
This PhD proposes to investigate multi-axle landing gear noise generation mechanisms in order to propose innovative low-noise designs.
RAMSES: ISAE-SUPAERO at the heart of a historic planetary defense mission
Apophis 2029: an exceptional encounter with science
ISAE-SUPAERO is taking another major step forward in space exploration with its participation in the European Space Agency’s (ESA)RAMSES mission (Rapid Apophis Mission for SpacE Safety). At the heart of this Planetary Defence mission is the SIA (Seismic Instrument for Asteroids) seismometer, developed by the SSPA team in the DEOS department with the support of CNES and in collaboration with the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, which will achieve a world first by recording the seismic activity of a near-Earth asteroid.
On Friday 13 April 2029, the asteroid (99942) Apophis will pass just 31,600 km from Earth – less than a tenth of the distance between the Earth and the Moon. This exceptional close passage, visible to the naked eye from Europe, is not dangerous for our planet, but represents a unique scientific opportunity to understand the behaviour and properties of near-Earth asteroids.
Approved by the ESA Ministerial Council on 27 November 2025, the RAMSES mission will be launched in spring 2028 and will reach Apophis in February 2029, two months before its historic flyby of our planet.
SIA: the seismometer developed at ISAE-SUPAERO
A technological and scientific feat
The SIA seismometer is the culmination of several years of research and development by the SSPA (Space Systems for Planetology and Applications)team in the DEOS department at ISAE-SUPAERO. This instrument will be deployed on the surface of Apophis by one of the two CubeSats on the RAMSES mission, marking the first time a seismometer has been deployed on a small celestial body.
“This mission will represent a major advance in our understanding of asteroids,” explains Naomi Murdoch, Research Director at ISAE-SUPAERO and Scientific Manager of the SIA seismometer. “Since the beginning of planetary exploration, seismometers have been key instruments for probing the interior of planetary bodies. They have already been deployed on the surface of the Moon, Mars and Venus, but never before on an asteroid!”
An exceptional mobilisation of the SSPA team
“A large part of the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO is involved in the RAMSES mission and in the development of this revolutionary instrument,” explains Alexandre Cadu, Researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO and Systems Engineer at the SIA. The team’s contributions cover all technical and scientific aspects:
- Instrumental development: mechanical and electronic design of the seismometer, performance and space qualification tests under extreme conditions, integration with the CubeSat.
- Scientific preparation: simulation of the effects of tidal forces on the Apophis asteroid, study of the propagation of seismic waves in asteroids, characterisation of mechanical properties.
- Operations and analysis: operations planning, in-flight instrument acceptance, data analysis, geophysical interpretation of recordings.
Internationally recognised French expertise
ISAE-SUPAERO is part of a tradition of French excellence in the internal sounding of asteroids, as well as in planetary seismology with the InSightmission . The RAMSES mission’s low-frequency radar, developed at the Grenoble Institute of Planetology and Astrophysics (IPAG/UGA) and already used on the Hera mission, will complement the observations of the SIA seismometer to provide a complete picture of Apophis’ internal structure.
Major scientific objectives
The RAMSES mission aims to characterise Apophis precisely before, during and after its passage close to the Earth. The observations will enable us to measure :
- the mass, density and porosity of the asteroid,
- its internal cohesion and geological structure,
- modifications induced by tidal forces: rotational variations, surface movements, internal rearrangements,
- the seismic properties that reveal its composition and history.
“The SIA seismometer will enable us to probe the interior of Apophis and observe how its internal structure reacts to the Earth’s tidal forces,” explains Raphael Garcia, Professor at ISAE-SUPAERO and SIA Project Leader. “These data will feed directly into Planetary Defence strategies by allowing us to better predict the response of asteroids to external forces, whether natural or applied by a deflection device.
The RAMSES mission will be completed in August 2029, after six months of intensive observations. The data collected by the SIA seismometer and the other scientific instruments will be the subject of in-depth analyses for several years, enriching our knowledge of asteroids and strengthening our ability to protect our planet.
A constellation of missions around Apophis
RAMSES will not be alone in observing Apophis in 2029. The Japanese DESTINY+ mission, launched with RAMSES, will carry out a preliminary flyby of the asteroid, while the American OSIRIS-APEX mission will begin an extended visit after the close passage. “OSIRIS-APEX is planning a thruster-surface interaction experiment on the Apophis asteroid,” explains Cecily Sunday, researcher and member of the RAMSES science team. “Within the SSPA team, we are developing numerical simulations to study the surface movements generated during this experiment, as well as during the landing of the RAMSES CubeSat”.
ISAE-SUPAERO, a major player in space exploration
ISAE-SUPAERO’s participation in the RAMSES mission confirms its position as a recognised player in space exploration. The SSPA team in the DEOS department has already contributed to several major planetary missions.
Mars: from InSight to Perseverance
On the Red Planet, the SSPA team took part in NASA’s InSight mission with the SEIS seismometer, which revolutionised our understanding of the internal structure of Mars. The team also contributed to the Mars 2020 Perseverance mission with the SuperCamMars microphone , making it possible to record the sounds of Mars for the first time and to analyse the properties of its atmosphere. This research has been published in leading international scientific journals, including Nature and Science.
Moon: the return of seismology with Artemis IV
The SSPA team was recently selected by NASA to take part in the Artemis IV mission, scheduled for 2028. They are contributing to the development of the SPSS (South Pole Seismic Station) instrument, the most sensitive seismological station ever designed to study the Moon’s internal structure at the South Pole.
Current and future missions: expertise and ambition
Beyond Mars and the Moon, the DEOS department is participating in the Japanese JAXA MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission, which will visit the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos and deploy the Franco-German IDEFIX rover on Phobos. The SSPA team is also contributing to the JUICE (Jovian system), BepiColombo (Mercury) and ExoMars missions with PACIS, an instrument that will study the atmosphere of Mars during the probe’s entry and landing.
“This diversified expertise in space instrumentation, combined with an in-depth understanding of planetary geophysics, positions ISAE-SUPAERO as a recognised player in the exploration of the solar system,” comments David Mimoun, Professor at ISAE-SUPAERO and SSPA team leader.
The RAMSES mission thus represents a new stage in this scientific adventure, paving the way for future discoveries about the small bodies of the solar system.
Numerical simulation of cracking in anodic films
Internship offer
Full-time
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Intern
2000 series aluminium alloys are widely used in the aerospace industry because of their very good specific mechanical properties.
In addition to the mechanical stresses associated with their use, aeronautical structures are also subjected to environments that can alter their integrity. Anodising surface treatments enable a thin protective film to grow, thereby improving the corrosion resistance of these alloys.
However, cracking or crazing can occur as a result of thermal stress, considerably reducing their resistance to corrosion in harsh environments. Understanding these anodic film degradation phenomena and identifying and taking into account the influencing parameters will help to improve the thermal behaviour of anodised components.
Psychoacoustic evaluation of drone noise
Internship offer
Full-time
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Intern
This internship proposes to evaluate the sound perception associated with multi-copter drones to allow the development of effective noise reduction strategies and awareness actions.
Henry DE PLINVAL, portrait of ISAE-SUPAERO’s new Director of Research and Educational Resources
Can you tell us about your background?
I began working in industry, at Safran, on inertial units: a rich experience from the point of view of technical subjects, industrial organisation, customer presence and requirements.
However, the research bug was already biting… and I decided to join ONERA in Toulouse in 2008. I then worked in automation, on different applications (aeronautics, space, naval – civil and defence), and did my thesis on vision-based UAV piloting. Later, in 2015, I was asked to become director of the UAV programme, in charge of this fascinating subject – on which ISAE-SUPAERO is also carrying out a lot of remarkable work.
In 2021, I wanted to take on more hierarchical responsibilities and I became deputy director of ONERA’s physics department: an opening onto subjects that are absolutely remarkable in their richness and technicality. I then took over as head of the low-speed wind tunnels department, a very complementary role because it is much more industrial.
I'm now at ISAE-SUPAERO, where I'm finding a lot of similarities with the various slices of life I've just mentioned! It's a great joy for me to rediscover these echoes of subjects I've come across before, to encounter both passion and excellence, and to discover and learn about dimensions I'm less familiar with.
Henry DE PLINVAL Director of Research and Educational ResourcesWhat will your responsibilities be at ISAE-SUPAERO?
I’m in charge of the Research and Educational Resources Department. It’s an exciting role that covers a wide range of aspects. The first thing that strikes me is the quality of the people who make up this department: the human quality; the quality of the research that is carried out – often with remarkable resources; and the quality of the teaching.
My first task will be to continue to develop these qualities, but also to make them known both externally and internally. To do this, we will need to continue on the path of excellence in research and in the service of educational missions, with the considerable resources that have been allocated to them.
What issues do you consider to be priorities in your mission?
There are a number of important issues, some of which are particularly important for our business. The joint laboratory that we are building with ENAC is, of course, an essential decision that we must now make work, with the synergies and increased visibility that it will bring us.
Another key decision is the one that brings us into the dynamic of the University of Toulouse, which, here too, should see our international recognition grow even further.
Alongside these major moves, weneed to consolidate our teams, which have grown very strongly over the last ten years, and strengthen the balance between teaching, upstream research, partnerships, industrial contracts and European funding.
All of this is to ensure that we continue to be at the very top of teaching and research in the aeronautics and space fields that are our core business!
ISAE-SUPAERO acquires an innovative new additive manufacturing equipment
The inauguration of this new research facility was held on Tuesday 23 September on the ISAE-SUPAERO campus in the presence of financial and research partners.
Technology at the service of the sustainable aeronautics industry
WAAM technology makes it possible to manufacture large semi-finished parts using only the materials required. It therefore helps to reduce waste, limit the use of rare metals and improve the energy efficiency of manufacturing processes.
Thanks to its performance (more than 2 kg of material deposited per hour), it represents a promising alternative to traditional machining processes, particularly for parts such as jet engine masts or aircraft spars.
Research, training and industrial partnerships
This equipment will be used by our lecturers, PhD students and engineering students to explore new approaches to the design, multi-material manufacture and repair of high added-value aeronautical parts.
It will also pave the way for new industrial collaborations: a project is already underway with Segula Technologies, while discussions are underway with Airbus and Safran.
A collective investment in the future
The €700,000 acquisition of this machine was financed as part of a State-Region Plan Contract (CPER), with the support of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Occitanie Region and Toulouse Métropole. ISAE-SUPAERO also contributed by financing the infrastructure and installation of the equipment.
A further step towards responsible innovation
With the WAAM, ISAE-SUPAERO and the ICA are reinforcing their role as key players in the development of innovative, sustainable and competitive technologies, in line with the major challenges of the aerospace sector’s ecological and digital transition.
Interdisciplinary Congress on Extreme Worlds – CIME
📅 On 𝟏𝟕 𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐫𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 at ISAE-SUPAERO, the CIME congress will bring together researchers, professionals, teachers, and players in the field around the same passion: exploring the most extreme environments on our planet… and beyond.
On the programme for this exceptional day, six inspiring talks given by personalities involved in the field, in polar, underwater, desert or space environments:
🔹Christian Clot: explorer, co-founder and CEO of the Human Adpatation Institute
Stephen Alamo: doctor specializing in space medicine, ESA
🔹Gaëlle Giesen, Ph.D.: doctor of astrophysics, space systems engineer, diver, and skydiver
🔹Alban Michon: polar explorer, guide and diver, founder of Biodusséus and the School of Explorers
🔹Jessica Studer: doctor, researcher for MEDES (CNES) and ESA at Concordia Station (Antarctica)
🔹Geraldine Parodi: scuba diver
These speakers will share their experiences, set out the human, technical and organizational challenges specific to their respective contexts, and present avenues for research and innovation to fuel thinking and inspire new projects.
The CIME conference aims to :
> Lay the foundations for a national network of researchers, engineers, operators, doctors and other professionals working in extreme environments,
> Bring together scientific and operational expertise,
> Encourage collaboration between laboratories, institutions and those working in the field.
Organizing committee: Vsevolod Peysakhovich – Lecturer and researcher in human factors at ISAE-SUPAERO, Safouane HAMDI – Endocrinologist specializing in reproduction, senior lecturer at Toulouse University Hospital, Maëlis Lefebvre – Post-doctoral researcher in human factors at ISAE-SUPAERO.
A conference in partnership with UNIVERSEH European University – MEDES – Institute for Space Medicine and Physiology – CNES (SpaceShip).
French-Korean workshop: “Cryogenic hydrogen for aviation”.
- from 13 to 14 October 2025
- in the ISAE-SUPAERO thesis room
“Hydrogen is a breakthrough technology for decarbonizing aviation. Given its high energy content and its ability to propel aircraft without emitting carbon, it represents a key avenue that ISAE-SUPAERO has been exploring for several years.
Given South Korea’s technological lead in this field, the organization of a Franco-Korean workshop on hydrogen for aeronautics represents an opportunity to share best practice and the latest research into the use of hydrogen on board, particularly cryogenic hydrogen”.
Rather than being a forum for discussing the future of air transport, this scientific workshop aims to tackle the technological challenges associated with hydrogen propulsion, by giving the floor to those who are actually doing it, rather than those who are putting forward hypotheses or definitive opinions without any experimental proof.
This is why Korean speakers from the best industrial and research centres, as well as French speakers from the academic and industrial worlds, will come together to share their discoveries.
For ISAE-SUPAERO, committed to training our future engineers in environmentally-friendly techniques, this workshop is a springboard for strengthening our scientific exchanges with Korea and federating the French ecosystem committed to the decarbonization of aviation.
ISAE-SUPAERO hosts the first in-person Inter-Agency GNC V&V Workshop
Organized under the guidance of ESA, CNES, NASA, DLR, ASI, ISAE-SUPAERO, and ONERA, the event marked a significant step forward in fostering dialogue and collaboration across the global space ecosystem. It aimed to address a core challenge of today’s missions: the Validation & Verification (V&V) of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) systems — a field critical to the precision, reliability, and safety of space operations.
GNC : a cornerstone of spaceflight systems
GNC systems are essential to every stage of a mission. They enable a spacecraft to plan and follow its trajectory (Guidance), determine its position and velocity in space (Navigation) and stabilize and correct its motion as needed (Control).
Mastering GNC is fundamental to the design and execution of both crewed and autonomous missions, from orbital rendezvous to deep-space exploration.
From keynotes to collaboratio
The workshop featured two standout keynote presentations. Jean-François Goester (CNES), who shared insights on orbital rendezvous strategies and Stefan Winkler (Airbus Defence & Space), who highlighted the engineering mindset required to address real-world challenges in spaceflight.
In addition to technical discussions, the event showcased an educational highlight: Francesco Sanfedino, faculty member at ISAE-SUPAERO, presented the European Satellite Benchmark for Control Education & Industrial Training — a tool co-developed with ESA to support hands-on learning in satellite control systems
A strong position in the international space ecosystem
By hosting this international event, ISAE-SUPAERO reaffirms its position as a key player in the space sector, at the intersection of education, applied research, and international cooperation. The workshop served not only as a platform for knowledge exchange, but also as a catalyst for future collaboration and innovation across agencies and institutions.
ISAE-SUPAERO extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, participants, and partners — particularly CNES and the ISAE-SUPAERO Foundation — for their invaluable support in making this event a success.
By hosting this international event, ISAE-SUPAERO reaffirms its position as a key player in the space sector, at the intersection of education, applied research, and international cooperation. The workshop served not only as a platform for knowledge exchange, but also as a catalyst for future collaboration and innovation across agencies and institutions.
ISAE-SUPAERO extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, participants, and partners — particularly CNES and the ISAE-SUPAERO Foundation — for their invaluable support in making this event a success.
Valentin LELOUP, quantum and optical telecommunications systems engineer: the quantum and space tandem
Explorer, le maître mot de Valentin
« Guidé après les classes prépa par mon intérêt pour le domaine spatial, j’ai intégré l’ISAE-SUPAERO et ai découvert les cours de physique fondamentale. J’ai été happé ! » explique Valentin Leloup aujourd’hui ingénieur en Recherche et Développement chez Thales Alenia Space, fabricant européen de satellites destinés aux domaines des télécommunications, de l’observation de la Terre, de l’exploration spatiale et de la navigation par satellites.
Le jeune ingénieur double diplômé et multicompétences témoigne de son riche parcours qui lui permet de travailler dans le domaine de la physique quantique appliquée au spatial.
Un parcours de formation sur mesure
Quand Valentin entre à l’ISAE-SUPAERO en 2018 avec une appétence pour le spatial, les cours de physique fondamentale l’intéressent énormément et le conduisent à s’orienter vers des options en physique du laser. Durant la période Covid, il s’attaque à la lecture de l’ouvrage de référence « Mécanique quantique » de Claude Cohen-Tannoudji.
« Passionnant » confie-t-il !
Fort de cet enthousiasme, il s’inscrit en complément de son cursus de 3e année à l’ISAE-SUPAERO au Master 1 « Physique fondamentale et applications » dispensé par Sciences Sorbonne Université qu’il suit à distance. Sur cette bonne lancée, il obtient l’année suivante un aménagement de sa dernière année à l’ISAE-SUPAERO dans le domaine de la conception et opération des systèmes spatiaux afin de poursuivre à mi-temps un Master 2 en physique à l’Université de Toulouse.
« J’ai ensuite obtenu un stage de fin d’études dans le domaine des télécommunications par satellite chez Thales Alenia Space. Mon profil a donné satisfaction à mes employeurs et j’ai été séduit par ce stage qui associait le quantique au spatial » se souvient Valentin Leloup.
Physique et spatial au cœur de l’activité
Ce stage a été une excellente rampe de lancement qui lui permet d’être embauché chez Thales Alenia Space comme ingénieur système pour les télécommunications quantiques et optiques.
« C‘est rare et précieux de pouvoir relier dans mon activité professionnelle mes deux domaines de prédilection » précise Valentin Leloup.
Dans le secteur spatial, notamment dans les activités relatives à l’observation de la Terre, à la navigation par satellite ou encore la sécurité des systèmes de télécommunications, la physique quantique promet de nombreux développements.
« Je travaille sur des projets de Recherche & Développement (R&D) au sein du domaine Télécommunications de Thales Alenia Space afin de concevoir de nouvelles technologies pour des applications industrielles sur le marché du spatial » poursuit-il. « En parallèle de la distribution quantique de clés de chiffrement par voie spatiale, nous travaillons sur le modèle des expériences de photons intriqués du physicien Alain Aspect nobélisé en 2022. C’est à partir de recherches en laboratoire, que l’ingénieur recherche en physique que je suis, est à l’œuvre pour distribuer de l’intrication quantique à grande échelle via l’utilisation de satellites et pour développer ce qu’on appelle l’internet quantique » explique Valentin Leloup.
À cette activité de recherche s’ajoute la partie ingénierie qui lui permet de suivre la réalisation de maquettes des équipements (source de photons unique, détecteurs de photons uniques, etc.) comprenant les étapes de design, les phases de manipulation et de tests afin de disposer de toutes les métriques et performances. « Ma formation d’ingénieur spatial m’est très utile pour avoir une bonne approche du système global ainsi que pour maîtriser des différents sous-systèmes qui participent à la conception de cette nouvelle technologie » développe Valentin Leloup.
Les projets de R&D sont réalisés en collaboration avec les agences spatiales française et européenne, des laboratoires de recherche ainsi que des startups. Le travail en équipe pluridisciplinaire, le croisement de différents domaines d’expertise et de compétences en composants photoniques spatiaux, architecture réseau, systèmes orbitaux, télécommunications spatiales sont au cœur des innovations industrielles. Pour Valentin Leloup toutes les composantes d’une activité professionnelle stimulante sont réunies.
« Compte tenu mon expérience, si j’avais un conseil à donner aux étudiants, ce serait de s’ouvrir et d’explorer plusieurs domaines et ne pas se focaliser sur une idée de départ. En un mot, il faut être acteur de son avenir. » conclut Valentin Leloup.
