Partager la page:

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

Stéphanie Lizy-Destrez

Professor in space systems

Testimonial Category :

Research

Date :

07 Jun 2024

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.

Related Content

View Other Pages

Testimonials

Testimony from Rémi Caresche, student (class of 2025) of the TAS ASTRO Advanced Master®

Aerospace

Alumni

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony of Matthieu LP, student (class of 2025) of the IEM Advanced Master®

Aerospace

Alumni

Testimonial

Testimonials

"World Alumni Day": Three questions for Aude Vignelles, 1991 graduate of ENSICA's Aeronautical Engineering programme

Aeronautics

Alumni

Testimonial

Testimonials

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

Alumni

Space

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony of Ernest Chi Tse, alumni class of 2018 of the Advanced Master® ASAA

Advanced Master

Alumni

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony of Fabien Delcan, student in the "Ingénieur généraliste" programme

Application

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony from Alice Fabre, 2021 graduate of the TAS AERO Advanced Master

Aeronautics

Alumni

Decarbonization

Testimonials

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

Alumni

Space

Testimonial

Testimonials

“World Alumni Day”: 3 questions to Shriya Kaur Chawla, alumni class of 2024 of the Master in Aerospace Engineering

Alumni

Master in Aerospace Engineering

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony of Jorys Collard Casanova, student (class of 2025) of the TAS AERO FTE Advanced Master®

Advanced Master

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony of Lucie Goethals, student in the "Ingénieur généraliste" programme

Testimonial

Testimonials

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

Advanced Master

Aerospace

Space

Testimonials

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

Advanced Master

Space

Testimonial

Testimonials

“World Alumni Day”: 3 questions to Giuseppe Cataldo, 2010 alumni of the Ingénieur ISAE-SUPAERO programme

Alumni

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony of Sami Boukezzoula, student in the "Ingénieur généraliste" programme

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony from Mathis Putegnat, student (class of 2025) of the APM Advanced Master's programme

Aerospace

Alumni

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony from Nathanaël Lecompte, 2021 alumni of the ISAE-SUPAERO engineering programme

Alumni

Sustainability

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony from Lisa Wong, 2024 graduate of the TAS ASTRO Advanced Master® programme, SEEDS option

Aerospace

Alumni

Testimonial

Videos

Testimonials from Alex Dejoie and Sofia Cardola, engineering and master in aerospace engineering students

ISAE-SUPAERO recently welcomed some 40 companies from a wide range of industrial and service sectors to its campus. These companies, represented by alumni and HR managers, were able to share internship and job opportunities with over 500 students in attendance. The event also provided an opportunity for privileged exchanges between students and professionals on current and future challenges and projects. These close encounters were particularly enriching, providing young talent with sound advice and a mutual understanding of needs and expectations! The Enterprise Village is a fantastic opportunity to forge links and develop your professional network, while at the same time widening the field of possibilities. Through this initiative, ISAE-SUPAERO, at the heart of our students' training, has reaffirmed its central role in guiding them towards the professional world. Read the testimonials of Alex Dejoie, a student engineer specializing in astrophysics and space, and Sofia Cardola, a student in the Master in Aerospace Engineering program.

Career

Company

Testimonial

Pages

Main recruiters

They recruit our students!

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Space

Testimonials

Testimony of Yannick Lepage, student (class of 2025) of the AMS E&M Advanced Master®

Advanced Master

Testimonial

Testimonials

“World Alumni Day”: 3 questions to Sebastien Eskenazi, 2009 alumnus of the ENSICA engineering double degree / mechanical engineering master’s degree

Alumni

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony of Jonathan Andrieu, student (class of 2025) of the AIBT Advanced Master®

Advanced Master

Testimonial

News

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

Advanced Master

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Testimonials

Testimony of Jeanne Jault, student in the "Ingénieur généraliste" programme

Application

Testimonial

Testimonials

Joint testimony from Samuel Falcou, general engineering student at ISAE-SUPAERO, and Tristan Ducéré, high school student at Toulouse-Lautrec

Meet Samuel Falcou, a 20-year-old engineering student in his second year (class of 2024) of the ISAE-SUPAERO general engineering programme, and Tristan Ducéré, a 17-year-old high school student in his final year at Toulouse-Lautrec High School.

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimonial from Maëlle Joseph, student (class of 2025) of the Advanced Master® IEM

Aerospace

Alumni

Testimonial

Testimonials

Testimony of Matthieu Guilhem, student in the "Ingénieur généraliste" programme

Application

Testimonial

Pages

Programme Portfolio

With TSAAE, boost your career in the strategic sectors of civil and military aviation and aerospace engineering with 21 programmes offered by the alliance of two leading French engineering Schools: ISAE-SUPAERO and ENAC.

Aeronautics

Aerospace

Space