International Space Summit 2026: ESILV Students from LéoFly Meet Space Sector Leaders

Members of LéoFly, the aerospace association at De Vinci Higher Education, attended the International Space Summit 2026 held at the Grand Palais in Paris. Invited at the request of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, ESILV joined discussions bringing together institutional, scientific, industrial, and defence stakeholders from the international space sector.

For engineering students interested in aerospace, attending such an event provides direct access to the questions currently shaping the sector, from launch systems and artificial intelligence to satellite connectivity, Earth observation and European space policy.

LéoFly represents ESILV at the International Space Summit

The French Ministry of Higher Education and Research contacted ESILV to propose the participation of students interested in space-related issues. LéoFly, the aerospace association at De Vinci Higher Education, then formed the delegation.

Eleven members attended: Alexandre Rollet, Léopold Rehlinger, Eden Elfassy, Sarah Gomesse, Florian Cheron, Thomas Lampure, Anna Gomes, Jeongbin Pae, Méliane Eydalène, Maxime Tardieu and Chloé Bellaiche.

Their participation focused on attending round tables and meeting professionals rather than speaking at the conference. The programme brought them into contact with representatives from governments, space agencies, companies, research organisations, European armed forces and astronauts.

Among these exchanges was a meeting with Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA). His participation also featured in the official programme, notably in a round table devoted to how organisations are adapting to changes in the space sector.

Understanding a space sector that combines engineering, science and geopolitics

The International Space Summit addressed a sector undergoing rapid technological and economic change. Its programme centred on three main themes: international cooperation and the global space economy; space science, technology and exploration; and space security through dialogue, defence and partnerships.

These subjects translate into concrete engineering questions. The programme covered access to space, direct connectivity, industrialisation, space surveillance and traffic management, artificial intelligence, Earth observation, lunar exploration and satellite navigation. One session focused on the skills the space economy will require by 2035.

For ESILV students, these discussions help connect scientific and technical knowledge with the environment in which engineers will apply it. Aerospace projects depend on mechanics, electronics, modelling, data, AI and digital systems, while engineers also need to understand industrial constraints, international cooperation, security and technological sovereignty.

The Summit’s press dossier gives further context to this perspective. It describes the emergence of new public and private actors, faster technological cycles, low-Earth-orbit constellations and the growing integration of terrestrial and satellite networks. It also points to applications of space-based data in telecommunications, mobility, territorial management and climate monitoring.

LéoFly: aerospace engineering beyond the classroom

Founded in 2015 by engineering students, LéoFly is the aerospace and aeronautics association of De Vinci Higher Education. With around 80 members, it develops technical projects and activities in both fields while bringing together students from different schools on campus.

Its activities provide a complementary setting for applying knowledge acquired during the ESILV engineering curriculum. Technical association projects can mobilise skills in design, mechanics, electronics, programming, simulation, project management and systems engineering.

This approach is closely connected with ESILV’s project-based learning model: scientific and technological knowledge is applied to concrete problems, while teamwork, organisation and communication are developed through collective projects.

Student associations such as LéoFly extend these opportunities beyond formal coursework, giving participants additional settings to test technical choices, organise projects, and interact with external stakeholders.

LéoFly’s aerospace activities have already taken members into practical engineering environments. The association has worked on experimental rockets and participated in events such as C’Space, where student teams design, manufacture and launch their own vehicles. These projects connect calculations and simulations with manufacturing, testing, launch procedures, and results analysis.

From technical projects to the professional aerospace ecosystem

Attending the International Space Summit adds another dimension to these activities. Building an aerospace project provides experience with technical constraints; listening to engineers, executives, institutional representatives, and researchers provides insight into the industrial and strategic context surrounding those technologies.

The official programme placed questions about future skills alongside discussions on AI, space infrastructure, European competitiveness, exploration and defence. For students considering careers in aerospace, this proximity to sector stakeholders can help them identify technologies, professions and areas of expertise developing across the industry.

For LéoFly, the Summit therefore complements the association’s technical projects with direct exposure to the organisations and policy questions shaping European and international space activities. Members can approach the next rocket, prototype, or aerospace project with this broader understanding of the sector.

Interested in aerospace engineering? Learn more about ESILV’s engineering curriculum, project-based learning and student associations such as LéoFly.