Leading Flight Software at Reflex Aerospace: Building Reliable Satellites

Every satellite that Reflex Aerospace sends into orbit relies on software to function. It needs to point, communicate, adjust, and adapt to life in space. Leading that precision is Adrien, who leads the Flight Software team at Reflex. In this video, he shares what his daily work looks like, what makes satellite software unique, and how Reflex’s agile environment fosters both technical excellence and creative problem-solving.

As Flight Software Lead, Adrien’s day-to-day is dynamic. Some days are about planning, scheduling, and mentoring; ensuring the team’s workflow stays aligned across multiple projects. Other days are hands-on: developing new features, fixing bugs, and supporting in-orbit operations for Reflex’s satellites. His work extends from the codebase to real-time mission control, where even small software updates can have mission-critical consequences.

Adrien notes that one of the biggest misconceptions about satellites is how “basic and simple” they often are - not because the engineers lack ambition, but because reliability is everything. Once a satellite is launched, you can’t just “go up there and fix things.” Every subsystem must be designed to work, and keep working, for years. That’s why the flight software team at Reflex focuses on robustness, predictability, and careful validation before anything ever leaves Earth.

What makes working at Reflex exciting, Adrien explains, is the blend of freedom and growth. As a small but rapidly expanding company, engineers have room to take ownership, experiment, and explore new solutions while contributing directly to active missions. “We have a lot of freedom and opportunities in which tasks we do,” he says. And with multiple satellites in development, there’s no shortage of challenges to tackle.

For those considering a career in space software engineering, Adrien’s experience offers a glimpse into the future of the field: where agile methods meet orbital precision, and where your code doesn’t just run, it flies.