Research team

Serge Plattard

Associate fellow

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Biographical elements

Areas of expertise

  • Governance of space activities
  • Space security / counterspace
  • Space traffic management / Deployment of constellations
  • Space proliferation / Missiles
  • Space economy
  • New challenges for space exploration
  • Civil and military space transportation

Professional experience

  • Since November 2017, professor at University College London (UCL), Deputy Director of the Space Domain
  • Honorary professor, Brunel University London (2017-2020)
  • Senior Resident Fellow (2016-2017), Resident Fellow (2012-2016), Founding Director (2004-2007), European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), Vienna, Austria
  • Director of international relations of CNES (1998-2003), then deputy director for strategy (2003-2004)
  • Counsellor for science and technology at the French embassies in Delhi, Tokyo, and Washington (1987-1998), London (2008-2012)
  • Project manager at the CEA (French Atomic Energy Commission) Programmes’ Department (1983-1986)
  • Project manager (energy, space, technology transfer) at the Policy Planning Staff of the French Ministry of External Relations (1981-1983)
  • Nuclear physicist at CEA and in two American national laboratories (Los Alamos, Oak Ridge) (1971-1980)
  • Membership or participation: Chair of the space security committee of the International Federation of Astronautics (IAF, 2015-2021); National Academy of Sciences, Humanities and Arts of Bordeaux ; Euroscience (founding member); Science Defence Council (1998-2004), vice-chair of the ESA international relations committee (2003-2004; delegate of France to the Council of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) (1990-1991), APS (American Physical Society), IAA (International Academy of Astronautics)
  • Teaching: Master in Systems Engineering Management (space module), UCL, since March 2014; Master in science, technology, engineering and public policy (STEaP), UCL, 2014, 2015; Master in Space Studies, lnternational Space University (ISU) (2016-2020); Management of technologies and industrial innovation at ESSEC Business School, Cergy-Pontoise (1999-2002); Advanced post-graduate studies in Research & Development and Innovation Economics, Paris-Dauphine University (2004-2005); Advanced post-graduate studies in nuclear physics (reactor physics option), University of Orsay (1976-1986)

Education

  • Doctorate in Nuclear Physics, University of Orsay (1973)
  • Fellow of the Institute of Higher National Defence Studies (IHEDN), 2003-2004-IH56
  • Fellow of the Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP), University of Cambridge, 2011

Recent publications

  • “Reducing vulnerabilities of space activities: A call for coordinated leadership at the global level”, Journal of Space Safety Engineering, 8 (2021), pp. 323-330 (with Alan Smith)
  • “Is Europe ready to engage in the transforming launcher market?”, 72nd International Astronautical Congress, 25-29 October 2021, Dubai, UAE, Paper IAC-21-E3.3.5 (with Alan Smith)
  • “A Roadmap for the Robotic Facilities of Off-World Living”, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol. 73, n° 3, March 2020, pp. 25-30 (with Alan Smith)
  • “Optimising Human Space Exploration Policies and Strategies”, 69th International Astronautical Congress, 1-5 October 2018, Bremen, Germany, Paper IAC-18-E3.2.1 (with Alan Smith)
  • “Security in outer space: rising stakes for Europe”, ESPI Report 64, August 2018 (with Sébastien Moran, Giulia Pavesi, Lisa Perrichon, Martin Sarret)
  • “The Governance of Galileo”, ESPI Report 62, January 2017 (with Amiel Sitruk)
  • “Les systèmes de positionnement par satellite : des enjeux stratégiques et économiques”, Les Grands Dossiers de Diplomatie, n° 34, août-septembre 2016, pp. 92-95