Ioonos

IOONOS: How did you become an aerospace research engineer ?

Xavier Vanwijck: I studied electro mechanics for five years in Belgium at Liege University and I qualified as an electromechanical engineer with a specialization in aeronautics. Then I moved to Paris where I worked in the IT sector. My dreams of space and great discoveries seemed so far away at that time! So one day, I decided to go to the Air and Space Museum at Le Bourget (France).I wrote down all the institutes and companies’addresses working in the space industry and I sent them a letter of application. That is how I started to work for Onera, seven years ago.

IOONOS: What does your job consist in?

Xavier Vanwijck: I design systems which control space from the ground or which control the ground from space. A few years ago, only the U.S Army knew exactly what was going on out there. All countries need to know about the mission of the satellites flying over them. It is also important for them to prevent possible collisions. European countries needed software programs to identify automatically what was going on up there with a radar watching the space. I also dedicate part of my work to environment. When you fusion optical data on the observation of Earth, you get more comprehensive information than with classical satellite pictures. Thanks to this system, we can make more precise maps of the biomass. Our objective is to design new sensors onboard satellites or fixed to drones (aircrafts without pilots)

IOONOS: What equipment do you use?

Xavier Vanwijck: I spend most of my time working on a computer in order to do simulations. I also spend time working on a white board, analyzing systems, thinking of ways of optimizing them and updating constraints etc. I communicate a lot with other engineers and professionals from different backgrounds.

IOONOS: Who do you work with?

Xavier Vanwijck: At Onera, there are a lot of departments and many different jobs. I work as well with optronicians as with radarists. I carry out projects at the European level, in particular with Germany and DLR*(German Space Agency). Swiss, Germans, British… we all try to find solutions together and to come to an agreement. I also meet people who will be using the information given by our sensors: research workers to get information about environment, farmers to supervise cultivation, NGO’s for emergency interventions, etc. We try to find the best solutions together.

IOONOS: What are the constraints of this job?

Xavier Vanwijck: It is quite a flexible job and I do not have many constraints. What is most difficult is that you cannot confine to what you know: you have to surpass yourself and to take risks. The next challenge for engineers will be to open to all of Europe, to cooperate and share their knowledge while remaining at the utmost level!

IOONOS: What advice would you give to young people who want to do this job?

Xavier Vanwijck: As for any job, I would advise them to sit for five minutes and ask themselves frankly and with no preconception: ‘Why do I want to do this job?’ Those five minutes can change their lives! The first job you do is a path to your future career, so I think it is wise to take your time to make the right choice. The best advice is to be faithful to who you are. There are an infinite number of engineer profiles and there are jobs for very different people. We need engineers but most of all, we need people with a strong personality.

IOONOS: Does space make you dream?

Xavier Vanwijck: I think I am really lucky. I love this job and space still makes me dream. Space is the place where Man can fulfil his dream of greatness. The great space adventure is rewarding but we also need to act for mankind, for others and this is why I dedicate part of my work to the Environment. Engineers work to serve others as they can bring real solutions.