The PERSEUS student space research programme is a forward-looking initiative of CNES’s Space Transportation Directorate (DTS). In a landscape defined by disruptive innovation, the agency’s main objective driving France’s space ambitions is through PERSEUS to spark new generations’ interest in careers and entrepreneurship in the space sector, by giving them a taste of a future of discoveries, science and technologies, while also getting them to think about the ever more vital societal, economic, strategic and political dimensions of space.

Key figures

• 350+ students involved
• 41 universities, engineering schools, manufacturers, laboratories and associations involved
• 7 projects supported
• 7 research and development fields

Key milestones

• July 2026: Participation in C’SPACE with Green Arrow
• June 2025: PERSEUS Project 20th Anniversary at the Paris Air Show (Le Bourget)
• May 2025: Launch of SERENDIPITY in Kiruna, Sweden
• July 2024: Participation in C’SPACE
• May 2024: Installation of the PERSEUS Project Platform at Paris-Saclay
• November 2023: Test Flight of the Mini-Apterros Reusable Stage Demonstrator
• June 2023: Testimonial by Arnaud Prost (former PERSEUS project member) at the Paris Air Show (Le Bourget)
• June 2023: Launch of SERA IV in Kiruna, Sweden
• July 2022: Launch of CERES at C’SPACE
• April 2017: Launch of SERA III in Kiruna, Sweden
• April 2016: Launch of SERA II in Kiruna, Sweden
• May 2014: Launch of SERA I in Kiruna, Sweden
• June 2005: Launch of the Program at the International Paris Air Show (Le Bourget)

Project in brief

Launched in June 2005 at the Paris Air Show (Le Bourget International Paris Air Show), the PERSEUS project is built upon educational and industrial activities carried out by numerous student teams from engineering schools, universities, technical institutes (IUTs), and associations. These teams are supervised by professors, industry experts, and project mentors.

The coordination, facilitation, and supervision of the program are managed by the PERSEUS Project Platform, led by CNES, with the support of CNES-recognized experts and members of partner associations who ensure the successful execution of the projects. Today, the Project Platform is hosted at CentraleSupélec on the Paris-Saclay campus.

To facilitate the integration of student projects, PERSEUS follows the academic calendar, with two major annual milestones: a winter seminar and launch campaigns held either in France or abroad, notably in Sweden.

The ambitious ground and flight demonstrator projects developed by universities, engineering schools, and motivated aerospace student associations are aligned with CNES's strategy for future space transportation systems. In line with the CNES roadmap, these projects also address societal challenges, particularly those related to sustainable development. By sharing knowledge and expertise, CNES and the PERSEUS project support students in becoming active contributors to technological and environmental innovation.

Like operational space transportation systems, the demonstrators developed within PERSEUS encompass a broad range of disciplines, including propulsion, structures and materials, avionics, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), ground segment operations, and systems engineering.

These demonstrator systems are tested both on the ground and in flight. They include the SERA experimental rockets launched from the Kiruna launch base in Sweden, the MINI APTERROS reusable-stage demonstrator, Green Arrow featuring eco-designed components, and, in the near future, ASTREOS powered by the MINERVA bi-liquid rocket engine.

Over the medium and long term, through the incremental development of technologies and functionalities integrated into the bi-liquid rockets designed and operated by students, the PERSEUS program aims to address the DREAM-ON challenge: achieving the launch of a reusable bi-liquid rocket reaching an altitude of 5 km, powered by LOX/CH₄ propulsion, with the long-term objective of contributing to a fully environmentally sustainable space transportation system.

The emergence of new players in the French space transportation sector further strengthens this dynamic. Through PERSEUS, students are provided with a unique environment that encourages creativity, innovation, initiative, and entrepreneurship. The project creates opportunities for collaboration among approximately 30 universities, engineering schools, and associations involving around 300 students, as well as with CNES, research and technology activities, established industrial partners such as ArianeGroup and CMP Composites, and emerging space companies including MaiaSpace and Hippocampus.

The PERSEUS project is committed to:

• Creating and maintaining strong links between education, research, and participating associations.

• Delivering tangible achievements through manufacturing, technological demonstrations, and launch campaigns.

• Encouraging the involvement of SMEs, start-ups, and emerging space industry stakeholders.

CNES’s role

The PERSEUS Project (European University and Scientific Student Space Research Project) is an initiative of the Space Transportation Directorate at CNES, dedicated to preparing future space transportation systems while strengthening collaboration between universities, engineering schools, student associations, and CNES.

The project involves approximately 350 students who work on and develop innovative technical solutions applicable to launch systems. These solutions are implemented through demonstrators that are tested either on the ground or in flight.

For more information, visit the PERSEUS Project website and YouTube channel.

Contacts

Project Leader
David Tchoukien
E-mail: david.tchoukien at cnes.fr

Project Administrator
Marie-Sophie Lachesnais
E-mail: marie-sophie.lachesnais at cnes.fr

Demonstrator Development Manager
Loriane Charles-Nicolas
Email: loriane.charles-nicolas at cnes.fr

Perseus Project Address
CentraleSupélec - Bâtiment Eiffel - Université Paris-Saclay
8 Rue Joliot Curie, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France