IonSat - End-of-Studies Internships (Multiple topics)

Three internship topics
are proposed (details are provided below).

Duration:

4 to 6 months.

Start date:

preferably early February 2026.

The CSEP (Centre Spatial de l'École Polytechnique) is currently seeking interns from various fields to contribute to its satellite project: IonSat, a 6U nanosatellite equipped with an electric thruster, designed to operate in Very Low Earth Orbits (VLEOs).

Key information regarding the CSEP, the IonSat mission, and the proposed internship topics is provided below. For further details, please refer to our 2026 Internship Booklet at the following link:
 

** Who we are?

The Space Center of École Polytechnique (CSEP)

serves as a vibrant hub of knowledge, expertise, and passion for space exploration.

It bridges the gap between experienced professionals from various specialties within the space industry and students eager to launch their careers in this field or gain a deeper understanding of its challenges and opportunities.

Supported by its "mécène" members,
ArianeGroup

and 
Safran

, and

guided by a board of highly skilled PhDs, Engineers, and Researchers, the CSEP provides a unique platform for hands-on learning. As an integral part of 
École Polytechnique's chair "Espace: Sciences et défis du spatial"

, the center enhances the educational experience by preparing students for impactful careers in the space industry through real-world, challenging projects that often culminate in missions reaching space. Beyond its educational mandate, CSEP also invites global students, engineers, and researchers to collaborate on groundbreaking space initiatives, fostering innovation and international cooperation.

** IonSat mission

IonSat

is a 6U nanosatellite project currently under development by 
the Space Center of Ecole Polytechnique

. The primary mission of 
IonSat

is to demonstrate advanced capabilities in 
very low Earth orbit (VLEO)

operations. Equipped with an
electric thruster

, the satellite is designed to maintain precise orbital positioning and execute complex maneuvers, showcasing the potential for efficient propulsion systems in challenging VLEO environments. 
​

IonSat is part of the 
Nanolab Academy Program

, an initiative led by the French Space Agency, 
CNES

. This program is designed to support scientific and educational satellite projects from different space centers across France, helping them achieve their intended results and fostering innovation in space exploration and technology development.
​

** How to apply?

​

NOTE:

Students may apply for multiple topics
simultaneously

.
​

​

To submit your application, please follow these recommended steps:
​

​

1. Review the available 
   internship topics

presented in this booklet and select those that interest you and match your profile.
​
2. Compose an email with the subject line:
CSEP 2026 Internships: [

Your Full Name
] Application

.
​
3. Attach your 
CV

to the email. In the email body, list the selected internship topics in
order of preference

, with your 
top choice listed first

. 
​
4. We encourage you to include a brief description of your 
background

, 
skills

, and
motivation

for joining CSEP and working on the specific topics you have chosen.
​
5. Send your email to the following CSEP members:
​

​

 
​

​

** Internship Topics

*** 1st Topic: Development, Test and Integration of Software Partitions for IonSat's TSP-based Flight Software.

We are seeking students, preferably pursuing end-of-studies internships, specializing in Embedded Systems, or a related field, to join the Flight Software and On-Board Computer (FSW&OBC) team of IonSat and contribute to the development of IonSat's Flight Software.

The primary responsibilities include contributing to:

• The design and configuration of the flight software partitions, including the validation and optimization of the partitions' scheduling flow.
• The development and test of the mission services.
• The development of the flight software architecture documentations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Studies in Embedded Systems or any related fields. Preferably, a student looking for an end of studies internship, like 2nd year of a Master's program or 3rd year of Engineering School.
• Good embedded programming skills in C/C++.
• Good knowledge and experience with designing and implementing IPs on FPGAs using VHDL (or Verilog).
• Knowledge, and experience working with communication protocols (CAN,UART, I2C, SPI, etc).
• Embedded firmware development,experience developing device drivers.
• Strong documentation and reporting skills are highly recommended for this role.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of and/or experience working with real time operating systems and hypervisors.
• Developing applications in Linux-based environments.
• Basic knowledge of Git.

The student will be technically supervised by a specialized engineer from the CSEP.

They will also benefit from the expertise and guidance of all CSEP team members and the partners of the IonSat project, particularly mentioning the CNES.

*** 2nd Topic:
Development of the PC/104 stack interface card for the IonSat mission.

The electronic design of IonSat includes a mission-specific PCB that bridges the PC/104 stack with the other subsystems, while also providing additional functions required for the mission.

This interface card provides:

• Side connectors for the main data bus of the platform subsystems.
• Side connectors for the different payloads.
• An ADC to measure the payloads signals.
• A watchdog that will be used to neutralize the satellite electrical system at the end of the mission.

The goal of this internship will be to check and implement the design of this PCB, then to test and qualify the board according to aerospace standards, and finally integrate it with the Cubesat engineering model.

Minimum Qualifications

• Background in electrical engineering or electronics.
• Knowledge of PCB design principles.
• Basic understanding of analog-to-digital conversion.
• Familiarity with KiCad and Git version control.

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of space systems or small satellite architectures.
• Experience with EMC/EMI practices.
• Experience with embedded systems development.

Access will be provided to electronics and prototyping laboratories for the assembly and testing of the PCB, as well as for the manufacturing of support equipment.

Integration tests will be conducted in the Space Center clean room. For qualification campaigns, access to a space environment simulator (thermal vacuum chamber) may be granted.

*** 3rd Topic: Assembly Integration and Testing for the IonSat Mission.

The engineering model of IonSat is currently being built in the CSEP clean room.

This includes two products:

• A structural model, with dummy masses instead of actual components, that will undergo vibration testing according to launcher specifications.
• A flat-sat, composed of all satellite subsystems interconnected on a test bench.

These two systems require thorough testing to uncover and fix design errors. They also serve as a test bench to create the procedures that will be used to efficiently assemble and test the flight model.

The internship goal will be to:

• Perform functional testing on independent subsystems before integration on the flatsat.
• Validate Flight Software functionalities as they are developed.
• Conduct Hardware In the Loop with the flatsat and a flight dynamic simulator to validate mission scenarios.
• Design and produce electrical and mechanical support equipment to facilitate testings.
• Document the assembly integration and testing procedures to streamline these operations on the flight model.
• Assist with environmental testing of the structural model.

Minimum Qualifications

• General engineering background.
• Knowledge in electrical and mechanical engineering.
• Familiarity with Markdown and Git version control for documentation management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of space systems or small satellite architectures.
• Experience in clean rooms or with antistatic measures.
• Prior experience in quality assurance.
• PCB design with KiCad.
• Mechanical design and 3D printing experience.

This internship will take place with the engineers of the Space center and the other interns, especially with the flight software team. You will have access to a Fablab with electronic and 3D printing facilities. Most of the experimental work will take place in the space center clean room and occasionally in external facilities for environmental testing.