# CNES

> French space agency

**Wikidata**: [Q48756](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48756)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNES)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cnes

## Summary
CNES (Centre national d'études spatiales) is the French government agency responsible for developing and implementing France’s space policy. Established in 1961 and headquartered in Paris, it operates as a high-level research institute and space agency that oversees a vast portfolio of Earth observation, telecommunications, and scientific exploration missions.

## Key Facts
- **Founded:** December 19, 1961.
- **Legal Status:** National public establishment of an industrial and commercial nature (EPIC).
- **Headquarters:** 2 Place Maurice Quentin, 75039 Paris, France.
- **Leadership:** François Jacq is designated to serve as CEO starting May 23, 2025.
- **Primary Missions:** Earth observation (Pleiades, TARANIS), oceanography (Jason series), and fundamental physics (MicroSCOPE).
- **International Partners:** NASA (USA), DLR (Germany), ISA (Israel), and the Italian Space Agency.
- **Membership:** Member of the International Astronautical Federation (since 1981) and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee.
- **Subsidiaries:** Includes Novespace, the Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology, and the Astroparticle and Cosmology Laboratory.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary role of CNES?
A: CNES is the French national space agency and research institute. It designs and executes space programs, including the development of satellites for Earth observation, scientific research, and military communications.

### Q: Which famous satellites are operated by CNES?
A: CNES operates the Pleiades satellite constellation, the MicroSCOPE research satellite, and the TARANIS Earth observation satellite. It also co-operates the Jason series of oceanography satellites and the SWOT water monitoring mission.

### Q: Does CNES collaborate with other international space agencies?
A: Yes, CNES frequently partners with NASA on missions like CALIPSO and Jason-3, with Germany on the Methane Remote Sensing Lidar Mission, and with Israel on the VENµS multispectral imaging satellite.

## Why It Matters
CNES is a pivotal entity in the global aerospace sector, positioning France as a leader in space exploration and satellite technology. Since its inception in 1961, the agency has been instrumental in advancing scientific understanding of the Earth and the universe. By managing the Pleiades constellation and participating in the Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, CNES provides essential data for climate monitoring and environmental protection. 

The agency's work extends into fundamental science, as demonstrated by the MicroSCOPE mission, which tested the universality of free fall in space. Furthermore, CNES plays a vital role in European security through the operation of military communications satellites like Athena-Fidus. Its extensive network of subsidiaries and research laboratories ensures that France remains at the forefront of technical innovation, while its participation in international committees for space debris coordination highlights its commitment to the sustainable use of outer space.

## Notable For
- **Fundamental Physics:** Launched the MicroSCOPE satellite in 2016 to measure the universality of free fall with high precision.
- **Historical Milestones:** Responsible for the launch of Astérix, the first French satellite.
- **Environmental Monitoring:** Leading the development of the MicroCarb mission and the joint French-German Methane Remote Sensing Lidar Mission.
- **Oceanography Leadership:** A key partner in the international Jason missions (Jason-1, Jason-2, and Jason-3) for satellite oceanography.

## Body

### Organizational Structure and Leadership
CNES is categorized under French law as an *établissement public national à caractère industriel ou commercial* (EPIC). It is led by a CEO, with François Jacq appointed to the position effective May 23, 2025. The agency's central operations are located at 2 Place Maurice Quentin in Paris. It maintains a significant digital presence through verified accounts on platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Mastodon.

### Satellite Operations and Research
CNES owns, operates, or participates in a wide variety of orbital missions:
*   **Earth Observation:** Key missions include PARASOL, TARANIS, and the Pleiades constellation. The agency is also developing MicroCarb for carbon monitoring.
*   **Scientific Research:** The MicroSCOPE satellite (launched 2016) was dedicated to testing the equivalence principle. The SIGNE 3 mission served as an orbital gamma-ray observatory.
*   **Oceanography and Water Monitoring:** CNES is a primary partner in the Jason-1, OSTM/Jason-2, and Jason-3 missions, as well as the Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission with NASA.
*   **Telecommunications:** The agency operates the Athena-Fidus geostationary military communications satellite (a joint venture with Italy) and previously managed the STENTOR project.

### International and Institutional Affiliations
CNES is a member of several prestigious aerospace and research clusters:
*   **International Bodies:** The International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS), and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC).
*   **Domestic Clusters:** The ASTech aerospace technologies cluster and the Couperin Consortium.
*   **Research Subsidiaries:** CNES oversees multiple specialized entities, including the Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology (IRAP), the Laboratory of Planetology and Geosciences, and the Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale.

### Technical Infrastructure
The agency utilizes advanced technical identifiers for its research and operations, including a dedicated IPv4 routing prefix (132.149.0.0/16) and various international registry IDs such as ROR (04h1h0y33) and ISNI (0000000122016490). It also maintains an API endpoint for Shibboleth authentication to support its scientific community.

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "CNES",
  "alternateName": [
    "Centre national d'études spatiales",
    "National Centre for Space Studies",
    "agence spatiale française"
  ],
  "description": "The French national space agency and research institute responsible for space policy and satellite missions.",
  "url": "https://cnes.fr/",
  "logo": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Logo_CNES_2017_triangulaire_bleu.png",
  "foundingDate": "1961-12-19",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "2 Place Maurice Quentin",
    "addressLocality": "Paris",
    "postalCode": "75039",
    "addressCountry": "France"
  },
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48713",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNES"
  ],
  "additionalType": [
    "http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q40226",
    "http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q317041"
  ]
}

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lobbyfacts.eu/datacard/centre-national-detudes-spatiales?rid=605771724943-68)
2. [Source](https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2025/05/23/francois-jacq-prend-la-tete-du-cnes-l-agence-spatiale-francaise_6608029_1650684.html)
3. GRID Release 2017-01-10
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. CiNii Research
6. SIRENE
7. [Source](http://www.pole-astech.org/site/pages/index.php?lang=&section=lesmembres)
8. [Source](http://www.couperin.org/presentation/notre-organisation/les-membres-de-couperin/items?cid=162id=221lang=fr)
9. [Source](https://discovery.renater.fr/renater/)
10. [Source](http://www.iafastro.org/membership/)
11. [Source](https://www.iadc-home.org/member_agencies_list)
12. [Source](https://www.issat.com/presentation/membres/)
13. [Source](https://ccsds.org/participation/member-agencies/)
14. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
15. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 17 February 2022](https://archive.org/details/OpenGLAM_Survey_20220217)
16. [Source](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WPS-KJptUJ-o8SXtg00llcxq0IKJu8eO6Ege_GrLaNc)
17. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 27 June 2023](https://archive.org/details/open-glam-survey-backup-20230627)
18. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 16 May 2024](https://archive.org/details/open-glam-survey-backup-20240516)
19. [Source](http://www.cdlib.org/uc3/naan_registry.txt)
20. GRID Release 2015-12-14
21. GRID Release 2016-12-06
22. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
23. [Source](https://apps.db.ripe.net/search/lookup.html?source=ripe&key=132.149.0.0+-+132.149.255.255&type=inetnum)
24. [Source](https://orcid.org/signin)
25. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
26. HAL
27. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
28. YouTube API
29. [Source](https://index-egapro.travail.gouv.fr/consulter-index/#!/search?q=775665912)
30. [Egapro Index](https://index-egapro.travail.gouv.fr/consulter-index/#!/search?q=775665912)
31. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)