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DAEP

Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP)

Last Updated On 24 September 2025

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.

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

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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

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Scientific and research integrity

Last Updated On 04 September 2025

What is scientific integrity?

Scientific integrity refers to the set of rules and values that must govern research activities to ensure that they are honest and rigorous. Mentioned in the Research Code (article L. 211-2 of the Research Code), it “helps to guarantee the impartiality of research and the objectivity of its results”.

Scientific integrity is essential to the smooth running of research communities, and also forms the basis of a relationship of trust between the research community and other parts of society.

Beyond the specificities of each discipline, good practice in research is based on common principles, which are set out in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity:

Reliability in the design, methodology, analysis and use of resources;
Respect for colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage and the environment;
Honesty in designing, carrying out, evaluating and disseminating research in a transparent, fair, complete and objective manner;
Responsibility in carrying out research activities, from idea to publication, in their management and organisation, in training, in coaching and mentoring, and in the wider implications of research.

Scientific Integrity Officer at ISAE-SUPAERO

By signing this charter, the Institute undertakes to put in place an institutional policy on scientific integrity and to appoint a “scientific integrity referent”.

As such, Pierre Magnan, Professor Emeritus at the Institute, has been appointed Scientific Integrity Coordinator at ISAE-SUPAERO.

The role of the Scientific Integrity Officer (RIS) is to ensure that the Institute’s researchers comply with the main principles of scientific integrity as defined by OFIS, a department of Hceres, and set out in the European code of conduct and in the “French Charter of Ethics for Research Professions”: To aim for reliable, honest, respectful and responsible research and to combat breaches.

In particular, the referee must:

To provide information on the implementation of the programme, and on a regular basis, for new arrivals;
Participate in a training programme for doctoral students in conjunction with the École des Docteurs;
Ensure that the laboratory notebooks are regularly kept, via the departments;

Run a web page on the Institute’s website (raising awareness, examples of breaches);
Participate in the network of scientific integrity officers at the various institutions;
Keeping an up-to-date list of breaches, with regular reports to the Director General.

Scientific Integrity Coordinator (RIS) at ISAE-SUPAERO

For any request for advice or to report a possible breach of scientific integrity (SI):

Pierre Magnan

pierre.magnan@isae-supaero.fr
Professor Emeritus
Electronics, Optronics and Signal Department

What is a breach of scientific integrity?

Any practice that undermines the reliability of results and the proper functioning of research communities is likely to constitute a breach of scientific integrity. A breach may concern all aspects of research activities in all disciplines, whether public or private.

Instruction procedure

Any person acting in good faith who is aware of a possible breach of scientific integrity may send a report to the Scientific Integrity Officer.

Receipt

The allegation of misconduct is sent by email or post, signed and dated. This statement describes the situation and the people involved. The whistleblower’s anonymity is guaranteed by the Scientific Integrity Officer.

Admissibility of the report

During the preliminary investigation phase, the officer in charge verifies that the report is sufficiently detailed to allow action to be taken. If an investigation is launched, he or she quickly informs the persons implicated.

Investigation

In all cases, absolute priority is given to the facts and to the presumption of good faith on the part of the persons concerned. It is understood that, at any stage of the procedure and whenever possible, the Reporting Officer may propose mediation to the persons concerned, in order to resolve the situation through a series of appropriate measures accepted by all parties.

The investigation is carried out in an adversarial manner, with uniform treatment, and if necessary involving independent experts. An inventory of the facts reported, the facts established and the arguments put forward by the various parties leads to the drafting of a report by the Scientific Integrity Officer, which may include recommendations. The report is submitted to the President of the University.

Follow-up

The Director General of ISAE-SUPAERO is responsible for deciding what action to take on the investigation report.

Scientific integrity, research ethics and professional conduct are three essential components of responsible research conduct.

Scientific integrity refers to good practice in the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge. It guarantees the honest and rigorous nature of research activities.

Ethics refer to a set of obligations specific to the practice of a profession. In France, when a researcher is a civil servant, his or her obligations are set out in the General Civil Service Code.

Research ethics concerns, on the one hand, the major issues raised by certain scientific developments and, on the other hand, the more operational issues of compliance of research protocols with the legal rules and ethical recommendations in force.

Ethics refer to a set of obligations specific to the practice of a profession. In France, when a researcher is a civil servant, for example, his or her obligations are set out in the General Civil Service Code.

The planning and implementation of the research project: Failure to obtain the necessary authorisations (ethical approval, consent of participants); non-compliance with authorised protocols; misuse of research funds.

Management and practices relating to data of any kind (including bodies of text, archives, images, etc.): Falsification or fabrication; deliberately deficient management or archiving; retention without legal justification, omission or selection without scientific justification; problematic statistical processing; unmentioned embellishment.

Publication, communication and authoring practices: Plagiarism; improper signature or failure to acknowledge a contribution; self-plagiarism; non-compliance with AI usage requirements; improper or biased citations; lack of impartiality or transparency when speaking publicly.

Interactions between peers: Biased peer-reviewing, appropriation of research projects or ideas, lack of supervision, undue hindrance of the progress of a peer's work, unfounded accusations of misconduct.

Failure to declare links or conflicts of interest, or their poor management at all or part of the stages of a research activity (e.g. application for funding, evaluation, expert appraisal and dissemination of results).

The most serious forms of misconduct - such as fabrication, falsification of data and plagiarism (FFP) - are liable to disciplinary action.

Reference texts on scientific integrity

ANR Charter of ethics and scientific integrity
European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
Singapore Declaration on Scientific Integrity
The Corvol report
French Office of Scientific Integrity
Report by the CNRS Ethics Committee (COMETS) – “Ethical reflection on plagiarism in scientific research”.
Guide “Practising research with integrity and responsibility” published by the CNRS

As developments in this area, both nationally and internationally, are fairly frequent, it is advisable to refer to the Ofis website, which is regularly updated.

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.

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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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Campus au féminin: raising girls’ awareness of scientific careers

Last Updated On 21 July 2025

Female students and scientists involved in the day

Female engineers, researchers and students from ISAE-SUPAERO were on hand to inform young students about engineering careers, encourage them to pursue their dreams, and address some of the obstacles they may encounter when making their career choices.

Ines Belgacem, patron of OSE at ISAE-SUPAERO and a scientist at the European Space Agency, recalls the primary objective of this event: ” The idea is not to push young women into science, whether they like it or not, but to provide them with all the information they need. Because we know that young girls are not as keen on science as boys, and that they don’t necessarily have access to information in the same way. For me, information is the key to everything “. She encourages them: ” Get as much information as you can, take advantage of all the opportunities, like Campus au féminin, so that whatever decision you make, it’s one you want to make and not one you have to make.

Angélique, a 2019 graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO and an engineer at Dassault Aviation, who also came along for the occasion, stresses the importance of raising awareness among young girls as early as possible: ” the fact that there aren’t many women in science courses starts very early, and it’s not so much at the recruitment stage that we can do something, or in higher education, but much earlier at secondary school when they choose science courses, where the gap is already widening at that point“.

The Occitanie region, Toulouse Métropole and the Toulouse education authority present for the event

Nicole Escassut - Regional Director for Women's Rights and Equality
Julie Escudier - Vice-President of Social Cohesion and Inclusion at Toulouse Métropole - Deputy Mayor for Gender Equality
Eléonore Tempier - Academic coordinator for "cordées de la réussite" - Toulouse Academy
Valérie Arlaud - Academic Coordinator for Equality between Girls and Boys - Toulouse Education Authority

Students at the heart of the organisation

Campus au féminin is also, and above all, the remarkable involvement of the Institute’s students, coordinated by the OSE programme team, in particular through the ISAElles student association, which encourages young women to take up science and deconstructs gender stereotypes.

Sascha Eydieu, a student and member of the ISAElles board, tells us about her role in organising the day: “I’m in charge of communicating with students, organising the various events and recruiting volunteers. In practical terms, this involves managing the planning and preparation for the day and organising meetings with the volunteers. I also take part in meetings with the ISAE-SUPAERO OSE team, to ensure that the various stages of the project are properly monitored.

A flagship event in ISAE-SUPAERO and its Foundation's commitment to equal opportunities

Launched in 2016, these days are the result of a collaboration between OSE the ISAE-SUPAERO and the ISAelles club. They reflect the commitment of the Institute, its equal opportunities programme and the Foundation to stepping up initiatives to encourage young girls to go into higher education and science courses.

This event is also part of a wider initiative: the “Campus au féminin” (“Campus for Women”) project, which involves a pair of female engineers and an ISAE-SUPAERO student mentoring groups of 10 secondary school girls. The main objective is to create a special link between secondary school pupils, students and women engineers.

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

Last Updated On 21 July 2025

The ExoMars mission is a European Space Agency (ESA) programme to explore Mars for signs of past life. Planned for 2028, the mission will involve the Rosalind Franklin rover, designed to analyse the Martian surface for biosignatures and to understand variations in the aqueous and geochemical environment of Mars. This programme represents a crucial step in the search for extraterrestrial life and in understanding the evolution of our solar system.

Researchers from ISAE-SUPAERO’s Space Systems for Planetology and Applications research group are contributing to the development of instruments for collecting atmospheric data and sound during the mission’s entry, descent and landing phases. This expertise is recognised by the Institute.

A key mission for the future of Mars exploration

ESA, CNES and six French laboratories and universities are in charge of various instruments and instrumental contributions on the Rosalind Franklin rover, which will have 8 pieces of equipment on board and a drill.

ISAE-SUPAERO will develop PACIS (Platform Atmospheric Characterization Instrumentation Suite), located on the landing platform and designed to measure sound, pressure and temperature during the critical entry, descent and landing phases of the ExoMars probe. The PACIS microphone and atmospheric instruments will contribute to our understanding of the atmosphere and environment on Mars by collecting unique data during descent and after arrival.

Funded by ESA and CNES, this project is being carried out in partnership with the University of Padova and the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) and marks a further step in ISAE-SUPAERO’s commitment to scientific excellence and innovation in the service of space. All these elements will be an essential prerequisite for the success of the next stages in the exploration of the Red Planet.

Planetary acoustics, expertise made in ISAE-SUPAERO

This new scientific collaboration in space is based on ISAE-SUPAERO’s heritage in the field of planetary missions, and in particular its contribution to the Perseverance rover on NASA’s Mars2020 mission. The Martian microphone, integrated on Perseverance’s SuperCam instrument, designed and developed by a team of researchers from the Institute in cooperation with IRAP (Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologie) and CNES, paved the way for a new approach to Martian exploration by inaugurating a new science, planetary acoustics. “The instrument developed for ExoMars embodies our ability to innovate in response to the most complex challenges of space exploration”, emphasises David Mimoun, Deputy Director of Research.

"ISAE-SUPAERO has made a significant contribution to the development of some fifteen space missions in the past or in development.

David Mimoun Deputy Director of Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

Cutting-edge research guarantees top-level space training

This project promotes the close synergy between research and education at ISAE-SUPAERO. The work that led to this selection by the ESA is the fruit of cutting-edge research carried out in the Institute’s laboratories in close collaboration with teaching. This approach guarantees high-level training in the space sector, both in the Earth Observation and Universe Sciences stream of the engineering curriculum and in the various courses in the Space sector. Students benefit directly from the technological and methodological advances developed for missions such as ExoMars.

Space training at ISAE SUPAERO

ISAE-SUPAERO engineer

Master 2 Advanced Communication Systems (ACS)

Specialised Master in Space Applications and Services (SPAPS)

Space Imaging, Navigation and Communication major in the Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Hera probe captures exceptional images of Mars and its moon Deimos

Last Updated On 21 July 2025

Exceptional images of Mars and Deimos

On 12 March, the Hera probe completed a key stage in its mission with a close flyby of Mars. By exploiting the gravitational assistance of the Red Planet, it gained speed and adjusted its trajectory to continue its journey towards the Didymos binary system.

Although not essential to the main mission, this close encounter represents a valuable scientific opportunity. Several on-board instruments were activated to observe Mars and its moon Deimos, located less than 1,000 km away.

Hera has sent us some exceptional images from the farthest reaches of space, and we have asked our scientists involved in the Hera and Perseverance space missions to make a selection of them and comment on them.

View of Mars taken by the Asteroid Framing Camera

” In this image from Hera, acquired with the Asteroid Framing Camera, we can see the geologically varied surface of Mars, including the icy poles and the distinct differences between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Mars has a surprisingly complex environment, including a tenuous atmosphere containing clouds and sometimes even dust storms.

At ISAE-SUPAERO, we are studying Mars’ atmosphere as part of NASA’s Perseverance mission. As Hera flew over Mars, the Perseverance mission used its cameras and meteorological instruments to observe the sky and help interpret what Hera can see from orbit.”

Alexander Stott, researcher in the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO and co-leader of the NASA Perseverance atmospheric science working group.

Credits : ESA

To find out more about the work of ISAE-SUPAERO’s Space Systems in Planetology & Applications research group for the Perseverance mission: https: //www.isae-supaero.fr/fr/actualites/pour-ecouter-les-premiers-sons-de-la-planete-mars-le-rover-perseverance/

Mars and Deimos seen by Hera's TIRI

” Hera has a pair of visible cameras (AFC), a hyperspectral imager (HyperScout) and a thermal imager (TIRI), all of which will be used to study the properties and characteristics of the binary asteroid system.

This image shows Deimos and Mars as seen by the thermal imager (TIRI). The images of Mars and Deimos will be used to calibrate the various instruments and enable the Hera team to prepare for the probe’s arrival in the binary asteroid system (Didymos – Dimorphos) at the end of next year.

In the SSPA team, we have been analysing data from NASA’s DART mission since 2022 and we are looking forward to studying asteroids in even greater detail using data from the Hera mission.”

Alexia Duchêne, PhD student in the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO and member of the Hera scientific team

Credits: ESA/JAXA

To find out more about the work of ISAE-SUPAERO’s Space Systems in Planetology & Applications research group for the DART mission: https: //www.isae-supaero.fr/fr/actualites/dart-des-etudiants-de-l-isae-supaero-publient-de-nouveaux-resultats/

Mars and Deimos seen by Hera's Hyperscout H

” This image, taken with Hera’s HyperScout instrument, shows Deimos – the smaller (12 km) of the two Martian moons – passing directly in front of Mars. Deimos has a very dark surface compared with that of Mars. Hera’s images of Deimos will contribute to our knowledge of these small bodies. We still don’t know where the moons of Mars come from or how they formed. This is a major scientific question that will be addressed by the future Japanese mission Martian Moons eXploration (MMX).

The IDEFIX rover, developed by France and Germany as part of the MMX mission, will even attempt to land and travel on the surface of Phobos (Mars’ largest moon)! The Hera and MMX teams are working closely together to ensure that these images of the Martian moons taken by Hera provide as much information as possible to help with the preparations for the MMX mission“.

Naomi Murdoch, planetary scientist in the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO and member of the DART, Hera and MMX scientific teams.

To find out more about the work of ISAE-SUPAERO’s Space Systems in Planetology & Applications research group for the MMX (Martian Moon eXploration) mission: https: //www.isae-supaero.fr/fr/actualites/mmx-idefix-r-et-des-cameras-pour-comprendre-la-lune-de-mars/

Mars and Deimos seen by Hera's Asteroid Framing Camera

” These images, taken by Hera’s visible camera (AFC), show the small dark Martian moon, Deimos (12 km), passing in front of Mars. Hera captured these images at a distance of around 1000 km from Deimos.

We are observing a side of Deimos that is rarely visible, which means that we are discovering parts of a planetary surface that have never been seen before. Behind Deimos, we can see the cratered surface of Mars.

In the lower right-hand corner of the image, we can make out the Hellas basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the Solar System – with a diameter of 2,300 km and a depth of more than 7 km.”

Jeanne Bigot, PhD student in the SSPA team at ISAE-SUPAERO and member of the Hera and DART scientific teams.

Credits: ESA

Unlocking the secrets of earthquakes with stratospheric balloons

Last Updated On 21 July 2025

A new approach to studying earthquakes from the stratosphere

A team of researchers led by Solène Gerier, a doctor in Earth and solid planet sciences, an engineer in applied mathematics and a post-doctoral researcher at ISAE-SUAPERO, has taken a major step forward in the analysis of earthquakes.

Their study focuses on the analysis of acoustic waves generated by earthquakes using an innovative recording method for the object of study. The waves were recorded in the stratosphere using pressure sensors installed on high-altitude balloons. This new approach makes it possible to study earthquakes by analysing the infrasound signals they emit through the atmosphere.

It is based on the pioneering work of Raphaël Garcia, a teacher-researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO and a specialist in space and planetary seismology. In 2022, he and his team demonstrated in the Geophysical Research Letter the feasibility of such observations during the CNES Stratéole-2 mission in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique. The breakthrough proposed by Solène Gerier makes it possible to trace the seismic source of these signals, analysing only the acoustic contributions in the atmosphere.

Complex modelling to decipher signals

To disentangle the various components of the signals recorded, the scientist and her team developed a sophisticated model. This incorporates not only the trace of the infrasound rays, but also the analysis of the background noise and the response of the ‘balloon platforms’. An additional analysis was carried out to gain a better understanding of the origin of the signals, using the infrasound ray tracing technique as well as an analysis of the noise associated with balloon platform movements.

The simulations, carried out using the SPECFEM2D-DG-LNS software, revealed that the wave signature was mainly influenced by the characteristics of the earthquake and the earth’s internal structure, and not by atmospheric conditions. “Ground vibrations produce acoustic waves that can be detected in the atmosphere. These waves have a particular signature because they were produced by seismic waves, which are themselves characteristic of the earthquake and the nature of the ground in which these waves propagate”, explains Solène Gerier. “Modelling has enabled us to check that these characteristics are preserved even in the atmosphere.

Promising results

While the simulations were unable to reproduce exactly the shape of the waves observed in the 0.05 to 0.3 Hz frequency band, they did reveal some interesting phenomena. In particular, the researchers observed a dispersion of seismic surface waves in the pressure recordings. The prolonged oscillations observed after the main signal can be explained in part by the complex vertical movements of the ground and by the multiple reflections of the infrasound on the topography.

In addition to its application on Earth, this methodology could prove particularly valuable for exploring other planets, as Raphaël Garcia points out:“These platforms are interesting for planets on which we cannot deploy a seismometer on the surface because the atmosphere is too hot. This is particularly the case for the planet Venus (450°C at the surface), where we think that earthquakes will be detected in the future through the atmospheric disturbances they cause.

This study, which is a continuation of the research carried out by the Institute’s DEOS/SSPA team, demonstrates the considerable potential of airborne platforms for studying earthquakes, both on Earth and on other planets.

To consult the scientific publication

Solène Gerier, a PhD in Earth and solid planet sciences, applied mathematics engineer and post-doctoral researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO, is interested in various aspects of the Earth's atmosphere, including :

modelling acoustic waves produced by natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions)
detection of disturbances induced in the stratosphere or ionosphere
atmospheric characteristics and models

Institute for Sustainable Aviation

Last Updated On 08 September 2025

An Interdisciplinary Research Institute Dedicated to Sustainable Aviation

A Collaborative Structure

ISA is supported by eight establishments based in Toulouse: ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse School of Economics, Université Toulouse Capitole, ENAC, TBS Education, Météo-France, Cerfacs, and Université Toulouse Jean-Jaurès.

Interdisciplinary Research

Faced with the challenges of environmental transition and the need for scientific expertise to guide trajectories towards a sustainable future, ISA carries out interdisciplinary research at the intersection of social, legal, economic, and technological issues.

Financial Support From the Occitanie Region

ISA is supported by the Occitanie Region for five years (2022-2027) thanks to funding worth €1.2 million.

Using Scientific Expertise to Inform Public Debate

ISA builds bridges between a range of complementary disciplines in order to produce knowledge and inform decision-making on the trajectories of transformation in the aviation sector, in close connection with changes in usage, sustainability standards, regulatory levers, and socio-economic responses.

Through a sustained dialogue between the academic community, industry, and civil society, ISA provides independent expertise and results based on the scientific method.

The Main Contributions of the ISA

Produce new knowledge, develop integrative models and diagnostic methods enabling a multidimensional analysis of the air transportation transition.

Provide independent scientific expertise to decision-makers in order to inform the strategic choices of regulatory institutions, public authorities, and private players.

Offer degree programmes for students and professionals based on the latest advances in research.

A Hub of Activity and Collaboration

ISA is a structure for coordinating and stimulating collaboration, highlighting the latest advances made by our researchers, promoting the work of our doctoral and post-doctoral students, defining partnerships, giving international experts a voice, and contributing to the public debate on the future of aviation.

Laurent Joly Director of ISA

17 Research Projects

ISA is conducting 17 research projects on fleet renewal, changes in passenger demand, the adoption of new technologies and pricing, the elasticity of demand, the economic trajectory and life-cycle analysis of sustainable aviation fuel production chains, and the impact of the Air Passenger Transport Tax.

Find out more about research at ISA

ISA's key role in accelerating the development of AeroMAPS

AeroMAPS is a platform for assessing the environmental impact of air transportation and simulating forward-looking aviation scenarios. Find out more.

This multidisciplinary integration platform is at the heart of the quantitative approach to defining prospective scenarios for aviation.

ISA is playing a key role in accelerating the development of AeroMAPS within ISAE-SUPAERO's Design and Operation of Aeronautical and Space Vehicles (DCAS) department.

Learn more

Sharing Advances in Research

The dissemination of research resulting from ISA projects is encouraged by the organisation in the form of a number of events throughout the year:

Fortnightly webinars, featuring leading international researchers.
Bi-annual workshops, which bring together contributions from researchers and players in the sector (industry, authorities, NGOs).

Imagine the Future of Aviation

Noémie Martin, E2018 engineer, receives €1 million prize from the Jean-Jacques and Félicia Lopez-Loreta Foundation for her FASTE project

Last Updated On 21 July 2025

The Jean-Jacques and Félicia Lopez-Loreta Foundation encourages the best young graduates from four Swiss and French schools of excellence by awarding an annual prize of one million euros to support innovative and highly promising academic or entrepreneurial research projects.

This year, Noémie Martin, an engineer from ISAE-SUPAERO (ENSICA) and currently a post-doctoral fellow at ETH Zurich, has been awarded the Lopez-Loreta prize for her FASTE project: Additive Manufacturing of High-Performance Multi-Material Structures for Use in Severe Environments!

After obtaining her engineering degree, Noémie Martin went on to do a PhD at the Institut Clément Ader, which she obtained in 2022 after submitting an excellent CIFRE thesis on the hybridisation of additive manufacturing processes (funded by Segula Technologie), co-directed by Anis Hor, associate professor in the Mechanics, Structures and Materials Department (DMSM) at ISAE-SUPAERO and Philippe Lours, professor at the Institut Clément Ader.

Her work has been published in A-ranked journals (3 articles) and presented at several conferences. Passionate about research and additive manufacturing, she decided to pursue the adventure abroad with a post-doctorate she is currently carrying out at ETH Zurich to develop a new process: ‘High Speed Laser Cladding’.

The FASTE project: revolutionising manufacturing, dimensioning and characterisation methods for multi-material and multi-function parts
Today’s environmental and economic challenges require optimisation of the product life cycle to reduce carbon emissions and limit energy consumption. High-performance metal alloys are both a cause and a solution. They are used in a wide range of sectors, including energy production, transport and construction, and their use helps to optimise the performance of these sectors (durability and efficiency of engines, for example). However, their extraction and production are costly and polluting.

"The use of several materials for a single mechanical part improves the performance of that part during use. This concept is particularly interesting when the part or structure is subjected to multiple stresses (mechanical, thermal, chemical, electromagnetic, etc.), as it enables the performance of each material used to be exploited to the full. This will lead to multi-function mechanical systems that are less complex and more environmentally friendly (lighter structures, no need for cooling circuits, longer service life, repairability). However, the manufacture of multi-material structures using conventional processes is often costly, if not impossible. What's more, the dimensions of such parts are not standardised".

Noémie Martin

The ETH Zurich laboratory, where Noémie Martin is working, will contribute its expertise in micro-structure control in additive manufacturing. ISAE-SUPAERO will also be contributing its skills and technological equipment in the field of materials characterisation.

Overcoming all the scientific and technological hurdles

Thanks to this prize, and the combined expertise and human and material resources available in the laboratories of the two institutes, Noémie Martin’s research project aims to overcome all the scientific hurdles associated with the manufacture of multi-material parts, the dimensioning of these heterogeneous structures and the implementation of experimental and numerical methods for the multi-scale characterisation of such structures.

“Ultimately, the results of this project will be transferable to the energy and aerospace industries, offering additional solutions to designers of structures operating in harsh environments, while meeting new economic and environmental requirements”.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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...