Alexandre: Best student paper at IAC 2025

What was the focus of your research presented at

International Astronautical Congress ?

My research work, carried out under the supervision of Romain Pascaud and Valentin Mazières within the PAMPA team, is part of a fundamental issue for the development of future space propulsion systems and their interaction with antennas. Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) is a promising technology for electric propulsion of satellites and space probes. Their principle is based on the heating of electrons by electromagnetic induction, without direct contact with the electrodes, which theoretically makes it possible to considerably extend the service life of space thrusters.

Theory predicts that these ICP plasmas should be perfectly stationary, i.e. exhibit constant properties over time. This stationarity is crucial to guaranteeing stable communications with earth if the antenna is close to the thruster feather, as may be the case on New Space satellites, which tend to miniaturize, or CubeSats in general. Our team therefore set out to verify this theoretical hypothesis experimentally, by setting up a characterization device to measure the plasma’s temporal parameters.

The results of our study revealed a more nuanced reality than theory would suggest. We observed that ICP plasma is not perfectly stationary. Periodic variations, albeit slight, appear in its characteristics. Even more interestingly, we were able to correlate these instationnarities with the feeding frequency of the plasma generation system. Although the time available for this study did not allow us to quantify precisely the amplitude of these variations, this discovery opens up new prospects for optimizing space propulsion systems and the electromagnetic compatibility studies that surround them.

For the aerospace sector, these results are of major interest. Firstly, in terms of EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) studies, as mentioned above, they provide a better understanding of the real limits of ICP plasmas, and enable us to anticipate their behavior under operational conditions. On the other hand, they suggest avenues of improvement for the control and regulation systems of these thrusters. Detailed characterization of these instationnarities could ultimately enable the development of active compensation strategies to maintain even more stable thrust, thus improving the efficiency and precision of orbital maneuvers on new-generation satellites.

Did this participation meet your objectives?

If I had to sum up my feelings in one word, I’d say that taking part in IAC 2025 far exceeded all the objectives I had set myself. Not only was I able to present my work in the prestigious student competition, but I also had the immense honor of winning the prize for best student paper in my category, which was the main category. Receiving this distinction in front of an audience of over 1,200 people at the closing ceremony will undoubtedly remain one of the most powerful emotions of my life. This moment crystallized months of hard work in the lab and validated our rigorous experimental approach.

Beyond this academic recognition, the networking aspect of the conference proved extraordinarily fruitful. I had the opportunity to exchange ideas with over a hundred participants from all over the world. These conversations were incredibly rich, touching on fields as varied as electric propulsion, Martian exploration, satellite constellations and new additive manufacturing technologies for space. I met engineers working for space agencies such as NASA, ESA and JAXA, researchers from prestigious laboratories, New Space entrepreneurs, and R&D managers from major industrial groups such as Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space.

My presentation attracted a great deal of interest. Many participants came up to me after my session to discuss our results and methodology in more detail. Several asked for access to the full paper to deepen their understanding of our experimental approach. These exchanges were extremely enriching, with some experts suggesting further avenues of investigation or potential collaborations.

The technical sessions I attended were equally inspiring. I particularly enjoyed the presentations on new hybrid propulsion architectures, advances in reusable heat shields, and long-term lunar exploration projects. These sessions enabled me to contextualize my own research within the wider ecosystem of space innovation, and to understand how the different technological building blocks fit together to realize tomorrow’s missions.

The few negative points of this experience are minor compared to the benefits I gained. The time difference between France and Australia, with its 9-hour difference, did affect my physical fitness during the first few days. The jet-lag took some getting used to, and slightly reduced my concentration during the first few sessions. In addition, the intensity of the program, with technical sessions starting as early as 8:30 a.m. and often finishing after 6 p.m., followed by evening networking events, proved physically demanding. However, the adrenalin and excitement of discovering so many fascinating new things more than made up for any accumulated fatigue.

Dear donors,

I would like to thank you most sincerely for your generous support in enabling me to take part in the 76th International Astronautical Congress in Sydney. Your contribution was decisive in making this experience possible and literally changed my career path.

Thanks to you, I was able to present my research on ICP plasma characterization to the international space community and win the prize for best student paper in the main category. This recognition in front of 1200 people will remain one of the strongest emotions of my life. Beyond the prize, your support has enabled me to build a solid international network with over a hundred professionals from the space sector, a network that has already opened up a dozen concrete opportunities for the next stage of my career.

Your investment has had a considerable impact: you have invested in my future and contributed to ISAE-SUPAERO’s international reputation. Without you, this unique opportunity would have been out of my reach.

Thank you so much for your generosity.