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Apply today for a program at ISAE-SUPAERO or ENAC!

Publication Date

16 October 2025

Category

Education

Tag

Advanced Master

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Aviation

Master in Aerospace Engineering

Space

La plateforme de candidature TSAAE est désormais ouverte : découvrez nos programmes de renommée mondiale et candidatez en ligne pour la rentrée 2026 avant le 28 novembre 2025 - minuit (heure française) !

Discover TSAAE :

Toulouse School of Aviation and Aerospace Engineering

ISAE-SUPAERO and ENAC, two leading French schools in the field of aeronautical and space engineering, have launched TSAAE – Toulouse School of Aviation and Aerospace Engineering.

This unique initiative gives international students access to an exceptional portfolio of programmes, taught entirely in English, in the heart of Toulouse, the European capital of aeronautics.

💻A single platform, simplified access

The TSAAE is setting up a common online application platform, which will help you more than ever to :

Discover all the ISAE-SUPAERO and ENACprogrammes in one place,
Compare the programmes and find the one that best matches your objectives,
Access all the key information and admission procedures on a single interface.

🎓Recognised degrees from leading institutions

Degrees awarded under the TSAAE brand are officially awarded by the programme’s home institution, i.e. ISAE-SUPAERO or ENAC.

Students benefit from :

international academic recognition, thanks to the accreditations and labels held by the two schools ;
solid career prospects in aeronautics, space and civil aviation;
clear visibility: programmes are identified by their home institution while benefiting from the TSAAE global brand.

🌏International career opportunities

TSAAE programmes cover a wide range of fields:

Aerospace engineering
Air transport
Aeronautical and aerospace engineering
Digital technologies
Project management, innovation and entrepreneurship

Thanks to links with major players in the sector (Airbus, Safran, Thales, CNES, European Space Agency – ESA…) and a network of over 60,000 alumni in 100 countries, students have access to a variety of internships, projects and career paths.

👉Explore the platform and start building your future in aerospace and aviation today: https://candidatures.tsaae.fr/

Main recruiters

Publication Date

26 September 2025

Category

Tag

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Space

They recruit our students!

ISAE-SUPAERO will be at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget from June 16 to 22, 2025

Publication Date

26 May 2025

Category

Tag

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Event

Space

ISAE-SUPAERO will be present at the 55ᵉ Salon International de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace at Le Bourget from June 16 to 22, 2025!

55ᵉ Paris Air Show

Testimonial of Baptiste Sigal, Advanced Master® TAS ASTRO student (class) 2025

Publication Date

23 May 2025

Category

Tag

Advanced Master

Aerospace

Space

Testimonial

Testimony of Baptiste Sigal

Advanced Master® TAS ASTRO student (class of 2025)

Identity card

Last name: Sigal
First name: Baptiste

Age: 23

City and country of origin: Toulouse, France
Year of your Advanced Master®: 2024-2025
Name of Advanced Master® completed: Space Systems Engineering – TAS ASTRO

His career before ISAE-SUPAERO

What was your academic background before joining ISAE-SUPAERO?

Following my Baccalauréat Scientifique at the Lycée Pierre Bourdieu, I entered the PCSI preparatory class at the Lycée Pierre de Fermat in 2019.

After two years of preparatory classes, I joined the ENSEIRB-MATMECA (Bordeaux INP), Electronics stream, from 2021. At this school I was lucky enough to be in charge of the aerospace association, which enabled me to work on my first student space projects (experimental rocket, sounding balloon, nanosatellite).

I then did my final year of engineering studies at ENSEEIHT (Toulouse INP), in the Systems Integration stream, to specialise in the areas of electronics that I enjoy. These years of training were accompanied by various work placements, notably at EREMS (Toulouse), OHB (Munich) and finally CNES (Toulouse), during which I had the opportunity to work on a wide range of space projects.

Why did you choose ISAE-SUPAERO for your Advanced Master®?

ISAE-SUPAERO is very attractive to students who want to go into the space industry. I wanted to complete my specialised electronics training with a full year’s teaching on space projects, so the TAS ASTRO Advanced Master® was an obvious choice for me. I applied in 2024 and was delighted to be selected for this high-quality course.

How did you hear about our Advanced Master® programme?

I’ve always followed the news about ISAE-SUPAERO. Social networks (LinkedIn) and the school’s website gave me all the information I needed about the Advanced Master® programme.

His career at ISAE-SUPAERO

What specific skills or knowledge have you come to acquire in this AM?

I went into this Advanced Master® with a clear idea: To acquire solid and varied knowledge of space projects and space-related professions. As it happens, the TAS ASTRO programme offers a rich and diverse range of courses on all these subjects.

What subjects, projects, challenges or experiences have particularly impressed you during your training?

The TAS ASTRO course has the advantage of being comprehensive from both a theoretical and a practical point of view.

I really enjoyed the courses on Orbital Mechanics, Communications, Space Systems and Manned Spaceflight. Overall, all the courses in this Advanced Master® are very interesting and linked to each other: The skills acquired in one are very often useful later in the year. I find this link between subjects very interesting.

This coherence is reinforced by a common thread: the Integrated Team Project (ITP), a year-long project. This project involves the whole class (divided into teams of 6 for different parts of the project) designing a complex space system. With the class of 2024/2025, we designed a system of systems that would enable a space station to operate. This station can be linked to Earth by two shuttles, which are themselves transported by a launcher. My team and I have concentrated on the training and education of astronauts.

In your opinion, what are the main advantages of the AM that you have followed?

The Advanced Master® TAS ASTRO is an excellent course, both in academic and human terms. The teaching is of the highest quality, with unique guest lecturers (researchers, space professionals, pioneers and key figures in the history of French and European space).

ISAE-SUPAERO offers a very pleasant working environment, with rooms dedicated to Advanced Master, a superb library and numerous sports facilities.

Describe an outstanding experience or project that you carried out during your AM.

Alongside this Advanced Master®, I’m taking part in a project involving students from ISAE-SUPAERO and the Toulouse National Veterinary School.

Our ATLAS (Assisting Tool for LAparotomy Sutures in Space) project aims to design solutions for carrying out surgeries during future long-duration space flights (missions to the Moon or Mars). We were lucky enough to be selected by CNES to test our experiment during a 0g flight aboard Novespace’s AIRBUS ZEROG.

We will therefore be able to carry out our experiment during a weightlessness flight in October 2025, during which two members of our team will be able to fly! In the meantime, you can follow our news on all our social networks (ATLAS Parabole).

We are being assisted in this project by teacher-researchers from our two establishments. This ongoing project is made possible by funding from the Fondation ISAE-SUPAERO and the AEAENVT.

How would you describe student life at ISAE-SUPAERO?

ISAE-SUPAERO also has the advantage of a rich student life. The various associations have their own premises with excellent social and sports facilities. The school is a great place to develop a fulfilling student life by getting involved in a wide range of areas: student associations, technical associations, cultural associations, etc. There is a wide choice to suit all tastes!

His career plan

What are your career plans?

I’ve always had a passion for astronomy and space telescopes. In my final year of secondary school, I realised that I needed to build a career around this passion, in order to make my dream a reality.
It hasn’t always been easy, and academic life sometimes requires you to stay motivated to achieve your goals. Building a career plan is far from being a smooth ride: It has to be done step by step.

With this in mind, I did an internship at the IRAP (Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie) studying galaxy clusters.

Once I’ve finished my studies, I’d like to take up a post as an engineer or researcher, linking astrophysical research with the associated space instrumentation.

How will your Advanced Master® prepare you to achieve these goals?

The TAS ASTRO Advanced Master®, with its systems engineering approach, has the advantage of exploring different themes in space. Firstly, after completing this Master’s degree I have a much clearer idea of space systems, their composition, techniques and associated expertise (control, propulsion, communications, energy, manoeuvres, etc.). This global vision will give me a better grasp of the future space telescope projects that I hope to work on.

Have you completed a work placement or assignment as part of your AM?

I’m doing an internship at IRAP (Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie) on the study of galaxy clusters.

After this internship, I will do a thesis on astrophysics and space instrumentation.

Did you have any international experience during your training?

In October 2024, I was lucky enough to be invited by CNES to IAC Milan (the world’s largest space conference). This conference was an opportunity for me to meet the other French students invited by CNES and all the international students invited by the space agencies (ESA, NASA, JAXA, etc.). In particular, I was able to present my project at CNES in 2024 in front of all these students.

His advice

What would you say to a future student who is hesitating about joining an ISAE-SUPAERO Advanced Master®?

An Advanced Master® at ISAE-SUPAERO is a unique opportunity to develop your skills in the field of space. If you are passionate about space and want to work in it, the AM TAS ASTRO is for you! Personally, this year has opened many doors for me, both academically and professionally. So don’t doubt yourself and apply for the ISAE-SUPAERO Advanced Master® programme!

Any advice for a successful Advanced Master® at ISAE-SUPAERO?

For me, a successful Advanced Master® rests on a number of pillars.

The social aspect is very important and the AM is a unique opportunity to meet new people with the same interests as you. Most of the people you meet at ISAE-SUPAERO will remain lifelong contacts for your professional career.

Then, of course, stay motivated and study regularly. The courses can sometimes be dense and certain periods can be intense but, if you work regularly, everyone who enters the AM at ISAE-SUPAERO has the ability to succeed. Never doubt yourself on this point!

Finally, ISAE-SUPAERO is the perfect opportunity to get involved in projects alongside your coursework. For me, it’s the ATLAS project, which will soon be taking off in 0g! The school and its researchers support many projects, both technically and financially, through the Fondation ISAE-SUPAERO.

"ISAE-SUPAERO has enabled me to make my dreams come true.

If you had to sum up your experience in one word, three adjectives or one sentence?

One word: Unique

Three adjectives: Enriching, Social, Scientific

One sentence: My experience at ISAE-SUPAERO will remain unforgettable: friends, technical discoveries and a project in zero gravity!

Advanced Master in Aerospace Project Management – APM

Publication Date

15 May 2025

Category

Tag

Advanced Master

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Defence

Space

Testimony from Axel Coulon, student (class of 2024) of the TAS ASTRO Advanced Master®

Publication Date

16 September 2024

Category

Tag

Advanced Master

Space

Testimonial

"My summer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory": what Axel, a student on the Advanced Master® TAS Astro, has to say about it

Axel Coulon has been on placement at NASA’s famous JPL in Los Angeles since May;
He is working there on the detection of helicopter landing sites on Mars;
As a student on the AM TAS Astro programme, he talks about the incredible space adventure that has taken him from his native Lorraine to California.

It’s the story of a kid from Lorraine who has always asked himself a lot of questions. “Ever since I was a child, I’ve been in search of meaning,” says Axel Coulon. That’s why I was interested in philosophy and space from a very early age. Four years ago, the American Mars 2020 mission turned this interest into a passion.

This mission to explore the Red Planet, which culminated in the Perseverance rover being sent to Mars, was developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). But back then, in 2020, Axel had no idea that he would be working in this prestigious laboratory as a student at ISAE-SUPAERO. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, he was continuing his higher education at Polytech Nancy, an engineering school near his home.

And he was riveted by the Perseverance odyssey. “I kept asking myself: how could we send a helicopter and a rover to Mars?” The Martian adventure ended up influencing his decision to focus his training on space, and more specifically on space rovers and helicopters.

“I always wanted to do Supaéro. But preparatory classes and Grandes Écoles weren’t common in the environment I grew up in.”

After an academic stay in Montreal to study on-board automation, Axel first landed a placement at ESA’s European Astronaut Center (EAC) in Cologne. It was a dream come true. “I was helping to develop electronic software for the tablets that astronauts use to send data from field training. I had the opportunity to work with European astronauts like Luca Parmitano and to meet Thomas Pesquet on several occasions. I used to think about the village of 1,000 where I grew up and say to myself, this is incredible”.

Once he had his engineering degree, he decided to do a year’s specialisation at ISAE-SUPAERO via the TAS Astro Advanced Masters®. In September 2023, he will be heading for Toulouse to fulfil a new dream: “I’ve always wanted to do Supaéro. But preparatory classes and Grandes Écoles weren’t common in the environment I grew up in.”

On the Toulouse campus, Axel quickly felt like a fish in water. He made friends with other space enthusiasts and joined diving and football clubs. He also immersed himself 100% in his training: “It was an intense and demanding year, but it was great for acquiring a complete knowledge of space engineering! Above all, he was able to talk to alumni who had just returned from their internships at NASA.” That’s when the idea, still crazy a few months earlier, took shape in his mind: “I’m going to do it too.”

” My teachers were very supportive. I realised that when you dare to ask for help, you get it. And that gives you confidence.”

But an internship at JPL was not a foregone conclusion. “Thanks to my teachers, I contacted a number of researchers working in flight robotics, but the replies were slow in coming.”

Without wasting any time, he threw himself into another challenge: finding funding. Several months passed, during which Axel took the risk of turning down a great opportunity for an internship in France. Deep down, he couldn’t stop believing. “My teachers in Toulouse and Nancy were very supportive. I realised that when you dare to ask for help, you get it, and that gives you confidence.” And that gives you confidence. And he was right. His deserving profile and results won him an Espace grant from the Fondation des Ailes de France, a grant from his region (Grand Est) and a grant from the Fondation ISAE-SUPAERO. After four and a half months, he completed his budget by supplementing this funding with a loan from the same Foundation.

Los Angeles is finally in his sights. At the end of April 2024, Axel sets off with the excitement of discovering the laboratory to which he owes his passion. But also the West Coast and the famous American way of life. “When you first discover American life, you’re amazed,” he says. There are house parties, you visit California… Everything seems so big. When you see LA from the window of the plane, you ask yourself: how big is this city? From time to time, however, he is reminded of the Pink City. “There are lots of Sup’ alumni in LA! For the first few weeks, when I’d walk around with my ISAE-SUPAERO T-shirt or cap on, I’d get stopped in the street,” he jokes. I thought: They’re everywhere!

At the JPL alone, he meets up with five other ISAE-SUPAERO students, all from the General Engineering course. “I don’t think we’ve ever been so many at the same time!” The atmosphere is “very international” and the site fills him with wonder: “It’s just as I imagined it would be.” I’m working in the new drone aviary. You can see there’s a lot of equipment and a lot of money.

“There are lots of Sup’ alumni in LA! For the first few weeks, when I went around wearing my ISAE-SUPAERO T-shirt or cap, I’d get stopped in the street. I thought: They’re everywhere!”

His research placement focuses on the detection of landing sites for helicopters on Mars, in line with Mars 2020. However, the corporate culture is different from what he is used to in Europe. Fortunately, Axel has already had the opportunity to work in an American environment, during an academic semester at the French branch of Georgia Tech University in Metz. “In the United States, we don’t see work and management in the same way as in France. Problems are solved like an audit. Everyone also has a lot of freedom to act, which builds confidence. We assume that people know what they’re doing.”

This freedom of initiative is all the greater because he arrived just a few months after a plan to make engineers redundant at JPL. “There was work to be done and I was immediately given the responsibilities of an engineer.”

“In the United States, we don’t see work and management in the same way as in France. Problems are solved like an audit. Everyone also has a lot of freedom to act, which builds confidence. We assume that people know what they’re doing.”

However, he doesn’t see himself staying in the United States after his internship. “As a Frenchman, I think it’s important to come back and work in Europe, on the continent that trained me and gave me so much. After his first love of Mars, he is now looking to the Moon. “With the prospect of future explorations, it’s very exciting!” His new goal? To work at the ESA, at the EAC where I did my traineeship, and where lunar equipment is being developed.

He’s sure to miss the Californian sun when he gets back, just after Halloween. But Axel is also looking forward to seeing his loved ones again. “Here in LA, everyone has their own car and house, and there are very few people in the street. I kind of miss the social atmosphere of France!”

Programme Portfolio

Publication Date

05 September 2024

Category

Tag

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Space

Testimony from Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, elected member of the Air and Space Academy

Publication Date

07 June 2024

Category

Tag

Space

Testimonial

Meet Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, elected to the Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace

– At ISAE-SUPAERO, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez heads up SaCLaB, a research laboratory on the space systems of the future.
– A professor of space systems engineering, she has just been elected to the Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace.
– This is recognition by her peers of a brilliant and atypical career in the service of a passion: space exploration.

Key dates

1971: Born in Toulon (Var).
1995: Graduates from Supaéro (S1995).
2008: Working for Altran Technologies, part of the team of engineers operating the Jules Verne cargo ship, the first ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle).
2009: Joins ISAE-SUPAERO as a lecturer in space systems engineering.
2015: Defends her doctoral thesis on "Optimisation of operational scenarios for crew rotations and refuelling of the cargo of an international station at the L2 Lagrange point of the Earth-Moon system" as part of a joint ISAE-SUPAERO / University of Stuttgart degree programme.
2017: Takes charge of SaCLaB, a research laboratory on advanced space systems, as part of a sponsorship chair with Airbus and ArianeGroup.
2022: Obtains her Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches, awarded by the University of Toulouse, on "Rendez-vous spatial: De l'orbite terrestre à l'environnement cis-lunaire".
2024: Elected Correspondent of the Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace.

Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez describes her career as “atypical”. But there is one thing that remains constant: Her burning passion for space.

This passion finds fertile ground in his native Provence, “where shooting stars are so bright”. And the Nice Observatory, the subject of a school trip at primary school. On her return, the schoolgirl couldn’t stop wondering about the Universe… and drawing her thirst for knowledge from books. “There was a mobile library that passed through the village where I lived. I used to borrow all the books on science. I was particularly struck by a story about Marie Curie told by her daughter. It was at that moment that she made her decision: She too would become a scientist. But in the field of space.

During her secondary education, she heard about Supaéro. The École Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace in Toulouse became her goal. During her preparatory studies at the Lycée Thiers in Marseille, she met an “exceptional” maths teacher who encouraged her to go down this path. A teacher who would later become… that of Arnaud Prost, another ISAE-SUPAERO alumnus and current ESA reserve astronaut.

"Astronauts in jeans"

Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez passed the Supaéro entrance exam in 1992 and obtained her engineering degree in 1995. After working in mechanical and automation engineering at Aerospatiale les Mureaux (now ArianeGroup) and Matra Marconi Space (now Airbus Defence and Space), she joined Altran Technologies, where she stayed for 13 years.

One experience made a particular impression on her: “In 2008, I was part of the team of vehicle engineers in charge of developing and piloting the first ATV, a cargo spacecraft developed by ESA to supply the ISS.” We were known as the “astronauts in jeans”! I flew the first ATV from CNES in Toulouse. It was fantastic. I had five screens in front of me and I had to stay focused while bottles of champagne were being opened all around me!

That same year, she applied for the ESA astronaut selection process, during which another Supaéro alumnus, Thomas Pesquet, was chosen. Fate took her elsewhere: “My former professor at Supaéro, Bénédicte Escudier, contacted me about a teaching position in Systems Engineering at ISAE-SUPAERO. I thought, why not?”

From space rendezvous to advanced space systems

In her new role, she has discovered a passion for teaching, and in particular for supporting students. She found “the human side that was missing when I was an engineer”. At the same time, she began a doctoral thesis on space rendezvous – when two vehicles reduce their distance to become one – with a double degree from ISAE-SUPAERO and the University of Stuttgart. “It was interesting for me to discover the theory after having dealt with this subject operationally as an engineer”. After defending her thesis in 2015, she began supervising doctoral and post-doctoral students. She is also responsible for the Advanced Master® TAS Astro.

Her colleagues describe her as a teacher and professor who is very present and attentive. “She is very welcoming and, despite her busy schedule, she always finds time for her students and her colleagues,” notes Spencer Boone, a post-doctoral student in space mechanics. “After Covid, I was struggling to find a work placement. She opened the doors of her lab to me and we worked on my internship topic together,” says Augustin Gallois, now a PhD student under her supervision. Francesco Sanfedino, a lecturer and researcher in space systems control in his laboratory, remembers his years as a student engineer at ISAE-SUPAERO: “Stéphanie gave us the great opportunity to work on a research project based on a CubeSat. At the time, we knew nothing about the research environment, but our paper was selected for an international conference. It opened doors for me and my partner”.

Researching the future and under-explored subjects

In 2017, as part of a sponsorship chair with Airbus and ArianeGroup, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez took over as head of SaCLaB (Space Advanced Concepts Laboratory), “a research laboratory on advanced space systems, along the lines of what is done in major American universities”. The laboratory is looking at orbital systems, future space transportation and robotic and manned space exploration in a future of more than 15 years (see box below).

The team works “on major international programmes and our research is funded by organisations such as ESA, CNES and groups like ADS and Thales”, explains Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez. But we are also working on subjects that are rarely tackled. “Stéphanie is one of the few specialists in space mechanics in France,” says Spencer Boone. Augustin Gallois, whose dissertation is on the eco-design of a lunar habitat, says that “we have the opportunity to study many aspects of a little-explored subject”.

A Chevalier des Palmes Académiques and active in a number of learned societies, Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez was elected Correspondent at the Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace, based in Toulouse, at the end of May. She joins two other active professors at ISAE-SUPAERO, Yves Gourinat (appointed full member) and Frédéric Dehais (correspondent). This is yet another accolade for this enthusiast, who is just one experience away from being fulfilled: travelling in space. “I tried my luck again when the ESA selected its astronauts for 2022. I went as far as the psycho-technical tests… But I’m not giving up. I’ll find a way!”

The Space Systems Design team (SaCLaB)

Part of the Design and Operation of Aerospace Vehicles (DCAS) research department, the Space Systems Design team is made up of five full members (Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez, Annafederica Urbano, Joan Pau Sanchez-Cuartielles, Thibault Gateau and Francesco Sanfedino), three post-docs and fifteen PhD students, who are supported by around sixty students working on research projects.

Its main areas of research are in-orbit servicing (space rendezvous, trajectory optimisation, quantification and propagation of uncertainties); monitoring and reduction of space debris, particularly in cislunar environments; advanced space transportation (reusable launch vehicles, space propulsion, refuelling in space and fuel storage); robotic and human space exploration (optimisation of interplanetary trajectories to the Moon, Mars, Phobos, Enceladus and asteroids); AI for autonomy and distributed systems; eco-design of lunar bases; characterisation of the impact of isolation and confinement on crew performance.

The environmental and societal impact of space missions is a theme that cuts across all research projects.

The Air and Space Academy

It is based in Toulouse and is made up of French and foreign members and correspondents who hold, or have held, major responsibilities in their respective fields related to aeronautics and space. They represent a unique pool of knowledge in Europe, with the aim of encouraging and promoting the development of high-quality scientific, technical, cultural and human activities in the fields of Air and Space. The correspondents liaise between the Academy and national and international aerospace activities.

Testimony of Giuseppe Cataldo, alumnus of the 2010 Engineer ISAE-SUPAERO programme

Publication Date

13 April 2022

Category

Tag

Alumni

Space

Testimonial

Meeting with our alumni Giuseppe Cataldo (S2010 ), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Giuseppe Cataldo, who graduated from the engineering programme in 2010, is Head of Back Planetary Protection for the ERO-CCRS mission in the Mars Sample Return programme, and Chief Engineer for NASA’s EXCLAIM mission.
He talks to us about his academic and professional career.

You have a very cosmopolitan background. Could you tell us what motivated your choices?

I was born and raised in southern Italy, in a small town by the sea. I started my studies in aerospace engineering at the Politecnico di Milano before applying for a double-diploma programme in Europe. Although there were several options in terms of destination, I chose France and ISAE-SUPAERO because I had never lived abroad and I wanted to experience a new culture and learn a new language.
Therefore, studying at an English-speaking university was not my first choice, and ISAE-SUPAERO offered all courses in French. In addition, the school was already the best in France and one of the best in Europe for aerospace engineering. It also offered a lot of connections with companies, which was bound to make it easier to enter the world of work. Finally, everything was confirmed when I arrived and stayed there, and I couldn’t have been happier!
The United States, however, was not in my initial plans. I simply seized an opportunity that led me to move to the other side of the Atlantic to fulfil one of my dreams, and I owe this to ISAE-SUPAERO.

You've been working at NASA for 12 years, how did you get this job?

It all started at ISAE-SUPAERO in 2008. I was in my second year when I received an email from the Career Center inviting all European students to apply for the NASA Academy, NASA’s student excellence programme. ESA was offering two positions and CNES one. I had always dreamed of working in space, and in particular for agencies like NASA and ESA. This application was a unique opportunity to at least take the first step towards that goal. I knew the competition was tough, but I had to give it a go. So I sent my application to the ESA, but I didn’t expect that a few weeks later I would be selected for interviews and then definitively as one of the two Europeans who would be leaving for Washington in the summer of 2009. It was a dream come true!
The NASA Academy transformed me.
I did research in the field of infrared astrophysics and thanks to this experience I returned to NASA the following year for my final year project, after which I got a job there. I then went on to do a PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in collaboration with NASA, which enabled me to work on one of the most formidable projects in history, the James Webb telescope.

What are your current missions? Can you tell us about the James Webb Telescope?

I’m currently Head of Back Planetary Protection for the ERO-CCRS mission in the Mars Sample Return programme, which aims to return samples of the Martian soil and atmosphere to Earth. My job is to design and build all the mechanisms and procedures to ensure that the capsule and sample container do not break during atmospheric re-entry and landing, to prevent potentially biological particles from being dispersed and contaminating our planet.

I am also the chief engineer for the EXCLAIM mission, an infrared telescope that will be launched into the stratosphere in 2023, and for the infrared camera for the PRIME telescope, which is being built in South Africa and will be operational by the end of the year. Between 2014 and 2020 I had the honour of working on the James Webb telescope, which was finally launched in December 2021. James Webb is the largest and most powerful space telescope ever built. For this project, I developed an innovative method for validating the mathematical models used to assess the telescope’s performance during the integration and testing phase. I also contributed to the testing of the thermal system, which enabled me to work on the hardware. It was a unique experience that taught me a lot about teamwork in a large-scale project. It also allowed me to develop things for the first time or to solve problems that nobody had ever had before. It took a lot of creativity and initiative!

Traditionally, we ask our alumni if they have any advice to give our students. Do you have a message for them?

My main advice is to be curious and proactive, in other words, always exploring to find the answers to your questions. Be active in shaping your career path by looking for opportunities to grow in your academic and professional training, through internships, courses, extra-curricular activities, etc. The university years are the best time to broaden your knowledge and develop the skills that will help you in the world of work.

Testimony of Juan-Carlos DOLADO-PEREZ, alumni of the 2008 Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering

Publication Date

25 January 2022

Category

Tag

Alumni

Space

Testimonial

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.

Apply today for a program at ISAE-SUPAERO or ENAC!

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His career before ISAE-SUPAERO

What was your academic background before joining ISAE-SUPAERO?

Why did you choose ISAE-SUPAERO for your Advanced Master®?

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His career at ISAE-SUPAERO

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Describe an outstanding experience or project that you carried out during your AM.

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His career plan

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His advice

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Any advice for a successful Advanced Master® at ISAE-SUPAERO?

"ISAE-SUPAERO has enabled me to make my dreams come true.

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