Allan Petre, le Sénégalais qui a rejoint la NASA à seulement 24 ans
At just 26 years old, Allan Petre already boasts an impressive career. Born in France to French-Senegalese parents, this aerospace engineer worked at ArianeGroup before joining NASA at 24, becoming one of the youngest French people to join the American agency. Behind the meteoric rise of his success lies a far from straightforward path, marked by a childhood in a low-income housing project in Seine-Saint-Denis, periods of self-doubt, changes of direction, and social obstacles. A star guest at Senegal Space Week 2026 in Dakar, the French-Senegalese man spoke with Seneweb about his origins, his dream of space, his ambitions to become an astronaut, and his desire to convey to young people, Africans in general and Senegalese in particular, the idea that nothing is impossible.
Head in the stars and feet firmly on the ground in Dakar. From May 19 to 22, 2026, the Senegalese capital hosted the second edition of Senegal Space Week. Organized by the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies (ASES), the event aimed to be a forum for political, security, and technological dialogue at the intersection of space, defense, digital technology, and public policy. More broadly, its ambition was to establish Senegal as a space hub. This gathering provided an opportunity to discover many faces in the space sector. An impressive selection of world experts in the field included Allan Petre. This name may not ring a bell for everyone, but for astronomy enthusiasts, it means a great deal. On the final day of Senegal Space Week, the aerospace engineer led a 30-minute masterclass. During his presentation, he reflected on his career, which is still in its early stages but already remarkably accomplished. At just 26 years old, Allan has worked for the Ariane Group and… NASA. After that, the young man captivated the audience by speaking about space while unveiling photographs taken by the American government agency. Tracing the history of space exploration—from the first steps of man on the moon in 1969 to the colossal resources deployed today by Western governments—Allan discussed the various challenges that motivate these global powers to establish a presence in space. Following his presentation, there was a twenty-minute break. During this time, the star of the day made himself available to the public for photos and, above all, to talk with young students who clearly hope to follow in his footsteps. Taking advantage of a lull after speaking with local media, Allan Petre spoke at length with Seneweb about his background, his career path, and his ambitions.
The child from Villemomble who already dreamed of NASA
Considered one of the youngest French people to have joined NASA (at 24), Allan Petre also has Senegalese roots. He was born in 1999 in Villemomble, a French town in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, to Franco-Senegalese parents. “Senegal represents an essential part of my identity. On my father’s side—from which my surname, Petre, comes—I have a French grandfather and a Senegalese grandmother. My father is therefore of mixed French and Senegalese heritage. My mother, on the other hand, is Senegalese,” he explains. “Ultimately, three of my four grandparents are Senegalese, which inevitably gives Senegal a very important place in my family and personal history.” I was fortunate enough to grow up in France, but in an environment deeply marked by African and Senegalese values, passed down by my parents, who were themselves raised in that culture. Statistically, he describes himself as 75% Senegalese and 25% French. This is a significant statistic in favor of Senegal, but it was in France that he pursued his education. In fact, it was during a school trip, while observing Jupiter through a telescope, that the Franco-Senegalese man's passion for space was ignited. "It was at that moment that I set myself the goal of working at NASA," he says. Determined to make this dream a reality, Allan nevertheless had to face the realities of life in his hometown of Villemomble in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. "It's the poorest department in France, so we have young people who sometimes come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and in fact that was my case, I grew up in a council flat in Villemomble, and I didn't necessarily have a close role model around me to rely on in the space field, so it was a bit complicated to project myself, to know about the training courses, to know the codes to go into the scientific field," he says.
From European space exploration to the American dream
His journey began with a false start. Following the advice of his professors, who convinced him to abandon his pursuit of a career in aerospace due to its "selective" nature, he opted for a two-year technical degree (DUT) in Business and Administration at the University of Paris-Est-Marne-la-Vallée. Shortly after, he left this program to return to his true passion, switching to a two-year technical degree (DUT) in Thermal and Energy Engineering at the University Institute of Technology (IUT) of Ville-d'Avray. Later, he joined the aerospace engineering program at the National School of Mechanics and Aeronautics (ISAE-ENSMA) and the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (CNAM), while simultaneously completing a work-study program at ArianeGroup from 2020 to 2023. "I was fortunate enough to work on the development of the European Ariane 6 launcher during my work-study program." Ariane 6 is the new European launcher, and it's modular. There are two versions of Ariane 6 for different orbits, and in fact, Ariane 6 is somewhat the new European spearhead in the space sector. We have a launcher that allows Europeans to have autonomous access to space, to launch their own satellites, and to continue the "militarization of space" while also improving the daily lives of the French, Europeans, and so on," he explains, stating that it's the biggest project he's ever worked on. With his aerospace engineering degree in hand, he decided to take a leap of faith and apply to NASA. A bold move that would pay off. In January 2024, Allan Petre joined the federal agency responsible for the majority of the United States' civilian space program at the age of 24. He reflects on this moment that marked him forever: “I felt immense satisfaction joining NASA so early in my life. I had just turned 24, so realizing a childhood dream at that age was quite incredible. There was also the whole scientific aspect: being surrounded by passionate people, constantly learning, discovering new things every day. This experience allowed me to continue my education and work on particularly stimulating and interesting topics. In addition to that, this opportunity allowed me to start my career abroad, in California, far from my comfort zone. This helped me further improve my English, both my technical engineering English and my everyday English.”
Space also belongs to the children of the neighborhoods
Despite his meteoric rise and string of successes, Allan Petre admits to having experienced moments of uncertainty within this American institution. “I sometimes doubted my place in an environment that is still perceived as quite elitist, especially in France. But precisely, the goal is also to break down these barriers and show that, regardless of where you come from—whether you come from a working-class neighborhood, a modest background, or a disadvantaged one—it is possible, with determination and ambition, to make a difference and achieve your dreams,” he says. It was this motivational role that he embraced on May 22nd during the masterclass he delivered at Senegal Space Week. Addressing a crowd composed mainly of engineering students from private Senegalese universities, he subtly conveyed that anything is possible for those who believe. “That’s an important message for me.” Beyond making a living from one's passion or fulfilling a personal dream, I think it's essential to then pass on knowledge, share one's experience, and give back to those who come from similar backgrounds. To show them that yes, it's possible, and that they too can believe in their ambitions,” he believes. One of the qualities that best describes this engineer is undoubtedly resilience. As proof, he emphasizes his academic record, which, apparently, was far from illustrious: “Like many people who started their careers at NASA, I too experienced setbacks and received poor grades during my schooling. I was a good student, certainly, but I wasn't top of the class, nor was I the one who got straight A's.” The other, no less important, aspect that he hopes to demystify for his younger siblings is the fear of making mistakes. According to him, although taking initiative doesn't always lead to success, failures can sometimes be a good way to learn. "Dare to take your chances and be bold, because opportunities don't always come to us: sometimes we have to go looking for them and create them ourselves. Try to be fully in control of your journey and your choices. And above all, don't be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are part of the journey, they are part of learning and progress," he says.
Head ever further into space
Today, Allan Petre is pursuing a doctorate in space engineering. Alongside this, he contributes to the popularization of space exploration through several initiatives. He also presents the program "Secrets de science" (Secrets of Science) on France 2, which aims to share scientific content and educate the general public on a wide range of scientific topics. On February 18, 2026, he became an ambassador for the "Sanctuary On The Moon" project, alongside Jean-François Clervoy. This project aims to deposit a record of humanity on the lunar south pole in the form of 24 sapphire discs. These discs will be engraved with encyclopedic information about "who we are, what we do, what we know, and what we have known for thousands of years." This deposit will be made as part of NASA's Artemis program. And since space exploration is on the agenda, this could become the Franco-Senegalese man's next challenge: becoming an astronaut. “This would potentially be a new dream for me […] and contribute to the biggest African, European, and global space programs,” he says ambitiously. Another challenge the Franco-Senegalese aerospace engineer has set for himself. And recent history proves that when Allan Petre wants something, he often ends up getting it. See you in space, perhaps with the Senegalese flag planted on the Moon by Allan Petre.
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