Claude Martin Brito

Safran Aircraft Engines • Project Manager, Future and Advanced Projects

From the very beginning, Martin was highly motivated by electric propulsion (EP). In 1999, he developed theoretical and user-friendly models for predicting the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) properties of plasma in Ablative Pulsed Plasma Thrusters. After a 10-year hiatus working in weapon and navigation systems, he returned to the space propulsion field in 2011 at Snecma in Vernon, France, where he contributed to the definition and qualification of the electrical interfaces between the Vinci cryogenic engine and A5ME/A6 launchers. In April 2015, he joined Safran Spacecraft Propulsion. Since then, Martin has: (1) provided both electrical and functional expertise for several of Safran’s Hall Effect thrusters (HET); (2) contributed to the PPS®5000 qualification at both the component and system levels; (3) developed space environment expertise by enhancing the robustness of Safran’s Hall Effect thrusters against micrometeoroids and space debris and predicting the total ionizing dose on low-thrust missions; (4) led the development and qualification of a cost-effective solution for a low-powered hollow cathode; and (5) tackled the challenge of finalizing the development of the entire PPS®X00 thruster, launching the qualification phase, and providing technical support for the beginning of the industrialization ramp-up. Today, he is preparing for the future of the HET in Safran by coordinating the maturation of technological innovations and leading advanced projects such as the High-Isp project. With the belief that propulsion is the key for the future of the human kind, Martin closely surveys the latest technical achievements in advanced propulsion systems, particularly in Breakthrough Propulsion Physics.

Events

International Astronautical Congress 2025

29 September - 3 October 2025

Sydney, Australia

Participation: