Share this page :

DISC

Design and Analysis of Critical Systems (CASC) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 25 September 2025

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

Our Research Areas

The Critical Systems Analysis and Design (CASC) group focuses on methods and tools to support systems engineering, with the following objectives:

To extend the state of the art in terms of software dependability, from the design of the initial model to the hardware target, as well as in the definition and use of support tools for formal simulation/verification.
To contribute to the definition and formal modelling of new system architectures, and to the integration of new software functionalities such as those arising from AI.

The CASC group covers several facets of software-intensive system engineering: design, verification, and validation of critical systems, deployment on hardware targets, and, finally, distributed and real-time simulation.

Our contributions are applied to aeronautics and space, but also more broadly to embedded and cyber-physical systems. These contributions are presented through publications on OpenScience and software, some of which can be freely distributed.

The CASC group is organised around two research themes:

The Formal Methods and Dedicated Languages theme is concerned with the formal semantics of programming languages as well as programs and their specifications, applied particularly to languages adapted to the design of critical embedded systems.

The use of formal methods (programme proofs, SAT/SMT methods, correction by construction, etc.) for the rigorous design of avionics functions can be applied to the various stages in the design and implementation of a product: architecture consistency verification, proof of correct operation of model transformation/code generation tools, and proof of correctness of the application code to be embedded.

The study of dedicated languages (synchronous reactive, probabilistic, etc.) and their semantic aspects will ensure that programmes can be embedded for the implementation of avionics functions, for example, taking into account the strong requirements and constraints of the field, both in terms of computing resources and the implementation of advanced AI-based functions (neural networks or learning by Bayesian inference).

The Architecture and Simulation of Cyber-Physical Systems theme focuses on the V&V stages of critical systems, particularly in conjunction with the PRISE platform.

New avionics architectures: taking into account new processor and network paradigms and their safe integration into an avionics platform (SMARTIES project)
Embeddability of applications on hybrid architectures (CPU, GPU and FPGA), in particular neural networks and their complex decision tasks
Systems simulation based on state-of-the-art tools
- Real-time distributed simulation, through the implementation of the HLA standard by the CERTI middleware developed in partnership with ONERA. CERTI implements versions 1.3 and 1516 of the HLA simulation standard.
- Interoperability and coupling of simulation models for cyber-physical systems, with the Ptolemy-HLA tool. This distributed co-simulation environment couples two open-source tools, Ptolemy II and CERTI/HLA. It takes advantage of Ptolemy's calculation models and the HLA standard for interoperability and deterministic distribution of simulations.

Our Team

Permanent Team Members

7 PhD Students

Xavier Thirioux

Head of CASC Group

xavier.thirioux@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

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

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

Connected Systems (SysCo) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 25 September 2025

Our Research Themes

To meet the Institute’s teaching needs, the SYSCO research team’s skills cover all the fields of application of networks and connected systems in the various aerospace contexts.

The global vision developed by the team has made it possible to identify three major research themes on which research efforts have been focused for several years:

Satellite networks: Secure and deterministic data transmission
Embedded systems and networks: Design and performance analysis of embedded systems and networks subject to deterministic and security constraints
Distributed systems: Reliable and secure large-scale distributed storage

Each teacher-researcher contributes to at least two of the team’s three research themes, which makes it possible to generate multiple collaborations and cross-disciplinary contributions in addition to results focused on one area.

In addition, several collaborations with members of the department’s other research groups and other departments (notably DEOS) are also prolific.

This research work has been put to good use in a number of ways over the last 5 years:

Supervision of more than twenty doctoral and post-doctoral students
Publication of around a hundred scientific papers and international patents
Setting up three research platforms: Ireal/Satenet for satellite networks, Blockchain 4 UAV for distributed systems, and Factoring for embedded networks
Participation in more than a dozen research projects with industrial and academic partners, including regional projects, ANR projects, industrial projects (TAS, Thales Avionics, AIRBUS), CNES R&T, and projects with the Institut de Recherche et de Technologie (IRT) Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Our Scientific Challenges

The main scientific issues that we are considering in order to advance the state of the art in our work in each of these research areas are:

For Satellite Networks

Large-scale multi-orbit dynamic system and its heterogeneity with terrestrial networks
Improving the security of communication protocols using post-quantum cryptography
Definition and integration of secure routing with deterministic QoS guarantees (throughput, delay)

For Embedded Networks and Systems

Heterogeneous hardware architectures and a variety of access control mechanisms
Joint SW and HW approach for deterministic execution on multicore/manycore
Definition and analysis of scheduling strategies for embedded applications
Definition and analysis of security mechanisms adapted to real-time networks
Methods for evaluating the security/performance trade-off

In Distributed Systems

Ensuring scalability, data integrity, and mitigation of cyber-security risks
Implementation of cybersecurity mechanisms and post-quantum cryptography
Definition of 'zero knowledge' mechanisms for blockchains and peer-to-peer networks
Integration of erasure codes to ensure the reliability and integrity of distributed storage

Team Members

Ahlem MIFDAOUI (Team Leader)

Oana HOTESCU

Real-time and satellite networks
Routing, QoS

Marina DEHEZ CLEMENTI

Cryptography and Cybersecurity
Blockchains

Jonathan DETCHART

Cryptography and reliability
Distributed Systems/Blockchains

Jérôme LACAN*

Cryptography and Cybersecurity, Blockchains
Satellite networks, Routing, QoS

*Head of DISC

Michaël LAUER

Real-time Networks and Systems
Dependability, OS

Tanguy PERENNOU

Distributed Systems/Blockchains
Dependability

Ahlem MIFDAOUI

Head of SysCo Group

ahlem.mifdaoui@isae-supaero.fr +33 5 61 33 80 80

Our Partners

Academic Partners

At the National Level

L’équipe SARA

L'équipe IVC

L'équipe IRT

Le département ONERA/DTIM

L'équipe LabSoc

At the International Level

State and Industrial Partners

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

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

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DMSM at the Clément Ader Institute (ICA)

Last Updated On 25 September 2025

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

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

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

Involvement in MSC Group Activities

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Main Projects

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

Our Partners

Academic Partners

Industry Partners

Involvement in SUMO Group Activities

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Resources

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

Our Partners

Involvement in MS2M Group Activities

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

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

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

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

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

Our Partners

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

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

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

Integrated Image Sensors (CIMI) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

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

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

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

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

We are cooperating with:

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

Our Research Areas

The CIMI group focuses its work on four main themes:

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

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

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

Cryogenics: Electronics at cryogenic temperature

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

Our Research and Development

In Collaboration with Manufacturers

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

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

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

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

Our Research Projects

An image sensor contributing to the development of ITER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Research linked to cryogenic activities covers several areas:

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

Our Partners

Our Design and Measurement Resources

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

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

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

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

Discover... CMOS image sensors at ISAE-SUPAERO

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

Vincent GOIFFON

Head of CIMI Group

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

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

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

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DEOS Scientific Publications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 Jan 2026

Photonics Antenna Microwave PlasmaA (PAMPA) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

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

Our Research Themes

The PAMPA group focuses its work on two main themes:

Optoelectronics for Aerospace Payloads and Telecommunications (OPTO)

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

Photonic-Microwave and Photonic Components

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

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

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

Satellite-Ground Laser Link/Open-Space Optical Communications

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

The studies were carried out at various levels:

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

Microwave Plasma Interaction (IMP)

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

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

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

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

Our Research Facilities

Discover... the ISAE-SUPAERO acoustic anechoic chamber

Angélique Rissons

Head of PAMPA Group

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

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

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

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DEOS Scientific Publications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 Jan 2026

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

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

Our Research Themes

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

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

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

Our Research Areas

New GNSS system architectures

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

Multimodal hybrid navigation

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

Theoretical performance studies

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

Approaches to environmental perception and analysis

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

Eric Chaumette

Head of NAVIR²eS Group

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

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

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

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DEOS Scientific Publications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 Jan 2026

Communication and Information Theory (ComiT) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

Our Research Themes

The ComIT group focuses its work on three main themes:

Designing efficient, robust, and secure waveforms

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

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

Advanced reception techniques

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

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

Efficient use of resources in a multi-user context

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

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

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

Our Research Areas

These themes fall into four research areas:

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

Damien Roque

Head of ComIT Group

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

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

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

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

DEOS Scientific Publications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 Jan 2026

Space Systems for Planetology and Applications (SSPA) Scientific Group

Last Updated On 21 January 2026

Our Research Areas

The SSPA group focuses its work on two main themes:

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

These themes are part of a dual strategy:

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

Our Missions and Research Projects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The SSPA team is involved in numerous small body missions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Technologies and Instruments

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

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

David Mimoun

Head of SSPA Group

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

The InSight Mission to Mars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Mars Microphone On Board NASA’s Perseverance Rover

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

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

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

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

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

Small-Body Missions

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

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

Assessment of asteroid impact and deflection (DART + Hera)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The objectives of NEO-MAPP are as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Job Offers

Check out the vacancies for scientific staff in the research department

Thesis Offers

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

Internship Opportunities

Check out the Research Department's internship opportunities!

Scientific Publications

No Articles Available for the Provided RSS Feed.

Doctoral programme ISAE-SUPAERO

Last Updated On 04 September 2025

Research

Last Updated On 23 September 2025

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

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

Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

International

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

Interdiscplinary

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

Innovative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Strategic Priorities

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

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

6 Research Departments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Discover OPEN SCIENCE: Our new open archive platform.

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

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

Further Information

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

DEOS

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

Further Information

DCAS

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

Further Information

DISC

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

Further Information

DAEP

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

Further Information

DMSM

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

Further information

LACS

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

Further Information

Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

Electronics, Optronics, and Signal Processing Department (DEOS)

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

Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles Department (DCAS)

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

Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP)

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

Mechanics of Structures and Materials Department (DMSM)

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

Complex Systems Engineering Department (DISC)

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

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

Institute for Sustainable Aviation

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

Scientific and Research Integrity

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