
Professor Lucy Berthoud
MEng(Bristol), PhD(Toulouse)
Current positions
Professor of Space Engineering
School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering
Contact
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Research interests
Overview:
Professor Berthoud has worked for 25 years in Spacecraft research and in industry. She has a Master's in Mechanical Engineering (with Distinction) from the University of Bristol, UK and a PhD in Space Physics from Sup'Aero/ONERA (French National Research Organisation) in Toulouse, France. She has worked at the European Space Agency, NASA Johnson Space Centre and BAe Space Systems (now Airbus Defence and Space). In 2009 Lucy started teaching at the University of Bristol in the Aerospace Engineering department. She teaches Space Systems, Advanced Space Systems, Systems Engineering design and has research interests in microsatellites, interplanetary spacecraft design, Mars sample return missions, planetary protection, active debris removal, Model-Based Systems Engineering. She works for a spacecraft manufacturer: Thales Alenia Space, part time. She is passionate about teaching and leads a teaching network for other space engineering lecturers in the UK called 'Space Universities Network'. In 2014 she was awarded UoB teaching award for the Faculty of Engineering. In 2015 she was nominated a 'Best of Bristol' lecturer. In 2016 she gave a TEDx University of Bristol talk entitled 'Is there life on Mars?'. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was awarded a University of Bristol Teaching Fellowship in 2016. She was made a Professor of Space Systems Engineering in 2018 and a UK National Teaching Fellow in 2019.
Research interests:
- Interplanetary spacecraft systems design
- Phase A studies of scientific spacecraft
- Nano and microsatellites
- Model-Based Systems Engineering for spacecraft
- Mars Sample Return
- Martian habitats
- Space Debris and micrometeoroid impact
Previous research projects have included:
- MBSE for early design of spacecraft missions
- Radiation modelling of Martian Habitats
- Volcano plume detection via CubeSat
- Designing a deployment device for 50+ cubesats
- Selecting an asteroid for mining
- Thermal and power design for a Ganymede Penetrator Probe
- Thermal design for a Europa Penetrator Probe
- Ultra low altitude SAR microsat
- Ultra low altitude hyperspectral imager and SAR microsatellites
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Building a Martian House
Principal Investigator
Description
This project is a collaboration between the University of Bristol and artists Ella Good & Nicki Kent to research, develop & design plans for a feasible house for humans on…Managing organisational unit
Department of Aerospace EngineeringDates
05/02/2018 to 05/08/2018
A miniaturised multi-spectral Thermal Infrared (TIR) space imaging system for improving volcanic ash monitoring.
Principal Investigator
Role
Co-Investigator
Description
The eruption of the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, caused major disruption to air traffic over Europe during April and May 2010. Dangerous levels of volcanic ash can severely damage jet…Managing organisational unit
Department of Aerospace EngineeringDates
01/04/2017 to 30/09/2017
Thesis supervisions
Publications
Selected publications
17/04/2021Using satellite data for CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) threat detection, monitoring, and modelling
Surveys in Geophysics
Recent publications
28/01/2025Assessment of large language models for use in generative design of model based spacecraft system architectures
Journal of Engineering Design
Linear Variable Filters for Satellite-Based Chemical Warfare Agent Detection
2024 IEEE Aerospace Conference, AERO 2024
Mapping the MBSE Environment and Complementary Design Space Exploration Techniques
2024 IEEE Aerospace Conference
Structural Design, Modelling and Testing of a 2U CubeSat Thermal/Visual Imaging Payload
Proceedings of the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
Development of electrostatic removal system for application in dust removal from Martian spacesuits
Acta Astronautica