Alumni
25 Jan 2022
Interview with Juan-Carlos DOLADO-PEREZ (M2008), Head of Space Surveillance at CNES
Can you tell us about your academic career?
I come from Alicante, a town in the south of Spain. Ever since I was a child, I’d dreamt of working in aeronautics and space, so I naturally turned to the Polytechnic University of Madrid, which at the time was the only Spanish university offering training in aeronautical engineering.
At the end of the course, I had two choices: to enter the world of work or to continue my studies. I chose to deepen my knowledge of aerospace … and enjoy my student life a little longer!
After discussions with colleagues who had done projects in Toulouse, I chose to come to France and Toulouse, the European capital of aeronautics and space. I had the opportunity to join the MAE at ISAE-SUPAERO. I spoke very little French at the time, but that didn’t stop me because the courses were taught in English.
At ISAE-SUPAERO I discovered a new way of teaching and learning these subjects.
I went from a very theoretical approach in Spain to a more practical approach in the Master’s programme, with more projects and applications.
We also benefited from courses given by professional lecturers from the aerospace industry (Airbus, Thalès, CNES, etc.), which gave us an initial insight into the expectations and realities of the world of work.
From a personal point of view, it was also a very valuable experience. The MASTER students come from all over the world, so you get to know many cultures and learn to adapt to multiculturalism.
I graduated top of my class, and it was a great source of pride for me to have the recognition of the teaching staff, so that I could go back to work full of motivation!
How do you build your career? What motivates you in your choices?
I started my professional life with no idea of a clear-cut career path.
When I discovered orbital mechanics during my studies, the subject fascinated me! I applied to CNES and was extremely lucky to be selected for an internship in the Orbital Manoeuvres department. CNES is an exceptional place to work in space, with fascinating subjects and surrounded by passionate people.
Following my placement, I took up an opportunity to become DATA SCIENTIST on the CoRoT mission to explore the universe and detect exoplanets. This mission opened up my horizons, as I discovered the world of scientific research, working with planetologists and astrophysicists, as well as with the operational teams, all working towards a common goal: to advance science! This reinforced my belief that ” together we are stronger “, and that has become my motto.
I was extremely lucky to work at CNES with teams that allowed me to develop my ideas, always in an extremely constructive spirit. I was able to develop operational tools for analysing the quality of scientific data that were used long after I left the job.
I then took up a new opportunity that brought me closer to my favourite field: orbital mechanics.
I joined the team working on space surveillance and space debris.
Space surveillance is one of CNES’s areas of defence activity. It involves knowing at all times what is over our heads and where these objects (debris, launcher bodies, active or inactive satellites) are going, and whether there is a risk of collision or re-entry into the atmosphere. With the ease of access to space and the proliferation of objects in orbit (new launches, explosions in orbit, anti-satellite tests, etc.), the risk of collision in orbit is only increasing.
For example, during the first decade of the 21st century, the number of satellites launched into orbit each year was around one hundred. By way of comparison, in 2021 alone, more than 1,500 satellites will have been launched into orbit!
Faced with this increase in the number of objects in orbit and the associated risk of collision, CNES monitors a fleet of around 300 satellites 24/7 to protect them from the risk of collision, for example by recommending anti-collision manoeuvres with a non-active object or coordinating space traffic whenever there is a risk of collision with another manoeuvring object.
This activity, which is part of a public service aimed at protecting European space platforms, is provided by CNES as part of the EU-SST European Space Surveillance programme.
It is important to note that CNES was one of the pioneers of space surveillance worldwide, being one of the first to suffer the consequences of space pollution. In 1996, the French military satellite Cerise was the first satellite to be lost due to impact with space debris. Today, CNES’s expertise in this field is known and recognized worldwide.
In this exciting and now indispensable field of space surveillance, I started out as a specialist, then an expert, and now I have the honour and privilege of working with an exceptional team as head of the space surveillance department at CNES.
Do you have a message for our students?
First of all, I’d like to tell them to be daring, to be curious and ambitious in what they do, and always seek to improve and add value. Be non-conformist, in the good sense of the word. Just because you’re used to doing something a certain way doesn’t mean it’s the right way to do it.
We’re stronger together! We need to stay open to new adventures and grow with others.
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FRENCH SUPERCAM INSTRUMENT RECORDING THE SOUND OF INGENUITY'S 4th FLIGHTLocated 80 meters from the rover at the moment of take-off, the small helicopter rose to 5 meters above the ground before covering a distance of 133 meters before returning to land where it had taken off from. SuperCam's scientific microphone, developed by ISAE-SUPAERO, recorded the sound emitted by the rotation of the Martian drone's blades during its flight. This sound has a characteristic frequency of 84 Hz, equivalent to the low “E” of a piano or the bass voice of a human being. “This is a big surprise for the whole scientific team,” says Naomi Murdoch, a researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO who is studying the data from the microphone. "Tests carried out in a Martian atmosphere simulator to design this instrument, and our theories of sound propagation, indicated that the microphone would have great difficulty picking up the sounds of the helicopter. Indeed, Mars' thin atmosphere strongly attenuates sound transmission. We needed a bit of luck to record the helicopter from such a distance. We're very pleased to have succeeded in obtaining this recording, which is proving to be a goldmine for our understanding of the Martian atmosphere". Developed jointly by ISAE-SUPAERO and a consortium of CNRS laboratories and its partners, coordinated by CNES, SuperCam's microphone is derived from a consumer model adapted to withstand the Martian environment. It pursues 3 substantial scientific and technical objectives of the Mars 2020 mission: Study the sound associated with laser impacts on Martian rocks, to gain a better understanding of their mechanical properties. Improving our understanding of atmospheric phenomena (wind turbulence, dust eddies, wind interactions with the rover, and now with the helicopter). Understanding the sound signature of the rover's various movements (robotic arm and mast operations, driving on normal or uneven ground, pump monitoring, etc.). The microphone was first switched on a few hours after Perseverance landed. It recorded the first Martian sounds generated by turbulence in the atmosphere. It is used daily in conjunction with laser rock ablation for chemical analysis of Mars. ABOUT THE MARS 2020 MISSION: NASA is relying on Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the development of the Mars 2020 mission. SuperCam was developed jointly by LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) and a consortium of laboratories attached to the CNRS, French universities and research establishments. Several Spanish universities, led by the University of Valladolid, are also contributing to the instrument. CNES is responsible to NASA for the French contribution to SuperCam. The instrument is operated alternately from LANL and the French Operations Center for Science and Exploration (FOCSE) at CNES in Toulouse.
DEOS
Researcher
Space
Testimonials
Testimony from Lisa Wong, 2024 graduate of the TAS ASTRO Advanced Master® programme, SEEDS optionAerospace
Alumni
Testimonial
News
World Engineer Day 2020: a young alumni puts his engineering skills to work for the climateOn the occasion of ‘World Engineer Day 2020,’ which focuses on the theme of sustainable development, we present the profile of Maxime Efoui Hess.
Alumni
Portrait
Presentation
Testimonials
Testimony from Axel Coulon, student (class of 2024) of the TAS ASTRO Advanced Master®Advanced Master®
Space
Testimonial
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Mission Insight: the contribution of researchers from ISAE-SUPAEROThe InSight lander deployed by NASA recorded two earthquakes that occurred on Mars in 2021, providing scientists with exceptional data, the first direct observations ever made of a planet's core.
DEOS
Space
Testimonials
Testimonial of Baptiste Sigal, Advanced Master® TAS ASTRO student (class) 2025Advanced Master®
Aerospace
Space
News
Meeting with Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, elected member of the Air and Space AcademyAt ISAE-SUPAERO, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez heads SaCLaB, a research laboratory focusing on future space systems. A professor of space systems engineering, she has just been elected to the French Air and Space Academy.
Award
Space
Teacher researcher
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“Applied Mathematics” (AM) scientific groupThe “Applied Mathematics” (AM) scientific group covers a wide range of topics: stochastic processes (especially Markov processes), numerical optimization (especially multidisciplinary optimization) and parallel computing, stabilization, control and numerical solution of partial differential equations, and financial engineering.
DISC
Doctoral student
PhD
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Our certificates of specialized studiesOur certificates of specialized studies are designed for professionals. They enable you to develop skills and expertise in the fields of digital, aeronautics, space, project management, systems engineering and artificial intelligence.
Advanced Master®
Aeronautics
Aerospace
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Paying Apprenticeship TaxAre you a company, an organisation or a structure subject to corporation tax? By directing all or part of your apprenticeship tax to ISAE-SUPAERO, you will be playing an essential role in our mission to offer a complete and unique range of very high-level scientific training in the field of aerospace engineering and to participate in the transformation of aviation & its decarbonisation for a sustainable future! By choosing ISAE-SUPAERO as your beneficiary, you are encouraging the success of tomorrow's talent!
Aeronautics
Aerospace
Apprenticeship tax
Testimonials
Testimonial of Elisa Baumgarten, Advanced Master® AES student (class of 2025)Advanced Master®
Testimonial
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Innovating in a World of Transition - SafranThe challenges facing the aerospace industry (energy transition, New Space, digitalization) are driving a growing need for professionals with the ability to innovate. Against this backdrop, Safran and ISAE-SUPAERO are creating the Innovating in a World in Transition Chair.
Aeronautics
Aerospace
Chair
News
Bertrand Joab-Cornu, co-founder of Wingly: "I already had the idea for a flight-sharing platform at ISAE-SUPAERO."A graduate of the ISAE-SUPAERO engineering programme, Bertrand Joab-Cornu co-founded Wingly a year before graduating in 2015. This start-up, which brings aviation into the collaborative economy, quickly became the European leader in flight sharing.
Aeronautics
Alumni
Diversity program
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“Space Systems for Planetology and Applications” (SSPA) scientific groupThe “Space Systems for Planetology and Applications” (SSPA) scientific group focuses on one main area of research: the development of missions and associated technologies for geophysical exploration of the solar system.
DEOS
Doctoral student
PhD
Pages
Lasbordes Air Operations Center (COAL)The Design and Operation of Aeronautical and Space Vehicles Department (DCAS) is part of the Lasbordes Air Operations Center (COAL), located on an airfield a few kilometers from the ISAE-SUPAERO campus. As part of its aeronautical training and research activities, COAL operates a fleet of 9 light aircraft.
DCAS
Doctoral student
PhD
News
SILOE, an experimental drop tower project selected by ESA and an ESPACE grant for Alexia DuchêneThe SILOE experimental drop tower project aims to study the cohesion of planetary surfaces. This student project is supported by ESA as part of its European ‘Academy Experiments’ program. Alexia Duchêne, SILOE project leader, has been awarded a scholarship of excellence from the Fondation des Ailes de France.
DEOS
Space
Events
"Les Entretiens de Toulouse - Training through debate”: April 9 & 10, 2025 on the ISAE-SUPAERO campus"Les Entretiens de Toulouse" has become a must-attend event for the aerospace industry. A forum for the exchange and transmission of skills, this training through debate provides an opening onto subjects with high industrial stakes. The 2025 edition of the Entretiens de Toulouse will take place on April 9 & 10, 2025, in person, at ISAE-SUPAERO!
Aeronautics
Artificial intelligence
Defence
Testimonials
Testimony of Giuseppe Cataldo, alumnus of the 2010 Engineer ISAE-SUPAERO (MSc) programAlumni
Space
Testimonial
News
“My summer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory”: Axel’s account, a student on the TAS Astro Advanced Master’s programmeSince May, Axel Coulon has been interning at NASA's famous JPL in Los Angeles. He is working on detecting helicopter landing sites on Mars. A student in the MS TAS Astro programme, he recounts this incredible space adventure that took him from his native Lorraine to California.
Internship
Programme
Space
Testimonials
Testimony of Ernest Chi Tse, alumni class of 2018 of the Advanced Master® ASAAAdvanced Master®
Alumni
Testimonial
Pages
“Theory, Modeling and Systems Engineering” (ThéMIS) scientific groupThe “Theory, Modeling and Systems Engineering” (ThéMIS) scientific group is dedicated to the study and development of advanced methods for the design, modeling and validation of complex systems.
DISC
Doctoral student
PhD
News
Training new skills for the future of space: COMETES is launched!Company
Job
Space
Pages
“Communication and Information Theory” (ComiT) scientific groupThe “Communication and Information Theory” (ComiT) scientific group is involved in the disciplines of digital communications, radar, and channel access techniques. Its fields of application include space systems, civil and military aviation, terrestrial cellular networks and the Internet of Things (IoT).
DEOS
Doctoral program
Doctoral student
News
Seven ISAE-SUPAERO students set out to conquer Mars in the Utah desertFor four weeks, seven engineering students will experience a simulation of life on Mars in the Utah desert in the United States. From 18th February to 16th March, they will conduct experiments in collaboration with CNES and several research laboratories at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS).
Space
Student club
Videos
Sylvestre Maurice, astrophysicist and ISAE-SUPAERO alumnusAwarded a prize by the Académie des Sciences in 2020, Sylvestre Maurice #astrophysicist at the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP) in Toulouse witnessed the landing of the #Perseverance rover on Mars on February 18, 2021. A historic moment for this enthusiast, who is also the scientific manager of the onboard SuperCam instrument. A 1990 graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO, Sylvestre Maurice tells us about his career.
Alumni
Researcher
Space
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Our short modulesComing from the Institute's Advanced Masters® programs, our short modules are aimed at professionals wishing to develop specific skills in Aeronautics, Space, Project Management, Systems Engineering or Digital.
Advanced Master®
Aeronautics
Aerospace
News
Mars mission simulation: a scientific experiment, a human adventureLike nine other ISAE-SUPAERO crews before them, seven students took part in a simulation of life on Mars in the Utah desert in the United States this winter.
Space
Student club
News
DART: ISAE-SUPAERO students publish new scientific findings in Nature CommunicationsNaomi Murdoch, a planetary science researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO, is actively involved in scientific analysis and data interpretation for NASA's DART mission.
DEOS
Space
Pages
Validation of prior experienceThe validation of prior experience is an individual right enshrined in the French Labor Code and Education Code. It enables candidates to obtain all - or part - of a professional certification (Diploma, Professional Title, Certificate of Professional Qualification), based on their professional, salaried or non-salaried and/or voluntary experience. This scheme can be used if the candidate is seeking personal recognition, or more generally to support a professional project that he or she wishes to put into practice.
Advanced Master®
Aeronautics
Aerospace
News
Meteorite impact reveals new insights into MarsIn September 2021, NASA's InSight mission recorded a meteorite impact. Analysis of the data by scientists has revolutionised our understanding of the internal structure of Mars and its evolution. Its mantle is not homogeneous, as previously assumed, but composed of a layer of molten silicates overlying the core. Press release from the IPGP - Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris: ‘The InSight mission reveals a molten layer at the base of the Martian mantle’.
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Space