Inside Aldoria #01 - Norbert Pouzin, Senior Orbital Analyst

Today, Aldoria stands where it does thanks to the exceptional talents that make up our team. Their passion, expertise, and dedication are the foundation of our success and our mission to shape the future of space.

We’re thrilled to launch our LinkedIn newsletter, showcasing the individuals who bring Aldoria’s vision to life. To kick things off, Norbert Pouzin , Senior Orbital Analyst, takes the lead and shares his unique journey, experiences, and insights into the challenges and opportunities of the space industry.

First of all, could you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to work in space?

I'm originally from the Paris region, and after a scientific preparatory class in Paris, I joined ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse in 2017. It was a dream for me. At ISAE-SUPAERO, I discovered the world of space thanks to professors involved in real missions, such as the Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance.

I also learnt a lot through student associations, in particular the Mars Club, where we popularised science in secondary schools, explaining concepts such as Martian habitats. We had educational projects to bring students closer to science and space. This enabled me to understand the issues involved in the sector, while developing a passion for passing on information.

As far as work placements were concerned, I explored different horizons: Airbus Defence and Space , the 荷兰代尔夫特理工大学 (Netherlands), and finally ArianeGroup . At Ariane Group, I worked on missions to recover space debris, which really strengthened my interest in this issue. In 2021, I joined Aldoria (formerly Share my Space), and so my space adventure continues today.

You mentioned your role as an orbital analyst at Aldoria. What's a typical day like?

There isn't really a typical day, but my work follows a well-defined cycle. It all starts with gathering information: I monitor the networks, our data production, as well as public data or that of our partners to spot anomalous orbital events, such as unusual manoeuvres or satellites coming together.

I then analyse and characterise these events. This means understanding what has happened: why an object has manoeuvred, where or what it is heading, etc. Once we understand the event, we adjust our sensors to observe and collect more data, which we then use to refine our models.

Finally, an important part of my job is reporting: passing on analyses to internal teams, partners or customers. Each time, we have to adapt what we communicate according to the audience, whether technical, strategic or institutional.

What do you see as the major challenges facing the space industry today?

I'd say there are two major issues.

Firstly, the sustainability of space. Space is a finite resource, essential for human and economic activities, but it is becoming increasingly cluttered with debris. If we don't control this proliferation, we risk losing this environment. This requires technical innovation to create reliable and sustainable systems, but also political efforts to ensure responsible and coordinated use of space.

The second issue is the transparency of space activities. Today, many actions take place without public attribution, and this creates a grey area. Improving knowledge of what happens in orbit is essential to avoid geopolitical tensions and encourage international cooperation.

For me, sharing is natural: when you're passionate about something, you want to share it. — Norbert Pouzin

You've been involved in some outstanding projects over the last five years. Is there an example that has particularly stood out for you?

Yes, one project that springs to mind is an innovation challenge that we won with Damien GIOLITO and Romain Lucken - the two co-founders of Aldoria - in partnership with the European Defence Agency (EDA). The idea was to design a constellation of satellites to observe space from space. We developed a complete design, with sensors and a precise concept of operation.

It was a preliminary project, but it was very rewarding. Working on such visionary concepts while gaining credibility with institutional players was an outstanding experience, and it shows the potential of innovation in our field.

It's clear that communicating and popularising your work are important to you. Do you think these are essential qualities in your profession?

Absolutely, but I would say that this applies to all engineers, not just in space. A good engineer needs to be able to explain complex concepts in an accessible way, to collaborate effectively and to compare ideas with others.

In space, people's natural fascination with this field helps a lot. But it's still important to make these subjects understandable, because the orders of magnitude and technicalities can be intimidating. For me, sharing is natural: when you're passionate about something, you want to share it.

How do you see space missions evolving?

What's striking is the shift from a small-scale model to mass production. Before, each mission was unique, designed over several years for a precise objective, such as observing a region of the universe. Today, we're talking about constellations of thousands of satellites, with a more industrial approach.

This democratisation has its advantages: it reduces costs and makes space and its applications accessible to new players. But we are losing some of the nobility of the great scientific missions, where each satellite was given special attention. It also raises a number of environmental issues, notably the carbon footprint of space activities and the sustainable management of space. It's a compromise between dreams and industrial efficiency.

Finally, what would you say to a student who is hesitating about joining the space sector?

Don't hesitate to take the plunge!

Space is an exciting sector, in full renewal, with many scientific, technological and environmental challenges to meet. Space-related jobs are highly varied and open to many different profiles.

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories!

Subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter to find out about our talent.