Valentin Leloup, R&D engineer at Thales, combines two fields of expertise: quantum physics and space. He holds an engineering degree from ISAE-SUPAERO 2022 and a Master 2 in fundamental physics and applications.
Explorer, le maître mot de Valentin
« Guidé après les classes prépa par mon intérêt pour le domaine spatial, j’ai intégré l’ISAE-SUPAERO et ai découvert les cours de physique fondamentale. J’ai été happé ! » explique Valentin Leloup aujourd’hui ingénieur en Recherche et Développement chez Thales Alenia Space, fabricant européen de satellites destinés aux domaines des télécommunications, de l’observation de la Terre, de l’exploration spatiale et de la navigation par satellites.
Le jeune ingénieur double diplômé et multicompétences témoigne de son riche parcours qui lui permet de travailler dans le domaine de la physique quantique appliquée au spatial.
Un parcours de formation sur mesure
Quand Valentin entre à l’ISAE-SUPAERO en 2018 avec une appétence pour le spatial, les cours de physique fondamentale l’intéressent énormément et le conduisent à s’orienter vers des options en physique du laser. Durant la période Covid, il s’attaque à la lecture de l’ouvrage de référence « Mécanique quantique » de Claude Cohen-Tannoudji.
« Passionnant » confie-t-il !
Fort de cet enthousiasme, il s’inscrit en complément de son cursus de 3e année à l’ISAE-SUPAERO au Master 1 « Physique fondamentale et applications » dispensé par Sciences Sorbonne Université qu’il suit à distance. Sur cette bonne lancée, il obtient l’année suivante un aménagement de sa dernière année à l’ISAE-SUPAERO dans le domaine de la conception et opération des systèmes spatiaux afin de poursuivre à mi-temps un Master 2 en physique à l’Université de Toulouse.
« J’ai ensuite obtenu un stage de fin d’études dans le domaine des télécommunications par satellite chez Thales Alenia Space. Mon profil a donné satisfaction à mes employeurs et j’ai été séduit par ce stage qui associait le quantique au spatial » se souvient Valentin Leloup.
Physique et spatial au cœur de l’activité
Ce stage a été une excellente rampe de lancement qui lui permet d’être embauché chez Thales Alenia Space comme ingénieur système pour les télécommunications quantiques et optiques.
« C‘est rare et précieux de pouvoir relier dans mon activité professionnelle mes deux domaines de prédilection » précise Valentin Leloup.
Dans le secteur spatial, notamment dans les activités relatives à l’observation de la Terre, à la navigation par satellite ou encore la sécurité des systèmes de télécommunications, la physique quantique promet de nombreux développements.
« Je travaille sur des projets de Recherche & Développement (R&D) au sein du domaine Télécommunications de Thales Alenia Space afin de concevoir de nouvelles technologies pour des applications industrielles sur le marché du spatial » poursuit-il. « En parallèle de la distribution quantique de clés de chiffrement par voie spatiale, nous travaillons sur le modèle des expériences de photons intriqués du physicien Alain Aspect nobélisé en 2022. C’est à partir de recherches en laboratoire, que l’ingénieur recherche en physique que je suis, est à l’œuvre pour distribuer de l’intrication quantique à grande échelle via l’utilisation de satellites et pour développer ce qu’on appelle l’internet quantique » explique Valentin Leloup.
À cette activité de recherche s’ajoute la partie ingénierie qui lui permet de suivre la réalisation de maquettes des équipements (source de photons unique, détecteurs de photons uniques, etc.) comprenant les étapes de design, les phases de manipulation et de tests afin de disposer de toutes les métriques et performances. « Ma formation d’ingénieur spatial m’est très utile pour avoir une bonne approche du système global ainsi que pour maîtriser des différents sous-systèmes qui participent à la conception de cette nouvelle technologie » développe Valentin Leloup.
Les projets de R&D sont réalisés en collaboration avec les agences spatiales française et européenne, des laboratoires de recherche ainsi que des startups. Le travail en équipe pluridisciplinaire, le croisement de différents domaines d’expertise et de compétences en composants photoniques spatiaux, architecture réseau, systèmes orbitaux, télécommunications spatiales sont au cœur des innovations industrielles. Pour Valentin Leloup toutes les composantes d’une activité professionnelle stimulante sont réunies.
« Compte tenu mon expérience, si j’avais un conseil à donner aux étudiants, ce serait de s’ouvrir et d’explorer plusieurs domaines et ne pas se focaliser sur une idée de départ. En un mot, il faut être acteur de son avenir. » conclut Valentin Leloup.
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