3 questions to... Ervan Kassarian, S-Cube member from 2015 to 2017

Why did you join the S-Cube?

“I joined the S-Cube in 2015, in my first year of the Engineering curriculum, out of an interest in space. There were several projects underway and I chose the SERA 3 rocket project, the only one supervised by CNES. This was the very first three-engine rocket project on which the S-Cube worked. As a result, we had to set up a team to simulate trajectories in the event of one engine failing to ignite. There were three of us students working on the trajectories, about fifteen in all on the project.”

What will you remember most about this experience?

“One highlight was the launch of our rocket, after two years’ work. For this, we went north of the Arctic Circle, to the Kiruna space base. We worked with engineers from CNES and the Swedish Space Agency. The launch went very well. It was very stimulating!

What have these years at the S-Cube brought you?

“The best thing about the project was being supervised by CNES professionals. We had regular reviews, every 6 months, just like real space projects. This gave me an insight into the workings of the space sector, and enabled me to work as part of a team over a long period of time. It also confirmed my interest in space. I went on to do a thesis in the field of automation, supervised by ISAE-SUPAERO and CNES, and then set up my own space start-up, DYCSYT.”