French Space Agency

The French Space Agency, also known as CNES, is a government-funded organization based in Paris, France, that shapes national space policy and manages public aerospace programs across sectors including telecommunications, defense, and scientific research. Operating with a 2024 budget of €3.029 billion, the agency employs 2,350 personnel across its operational centers and currently oversees 160 active science projects and missions worldwide. As the world's second-largest civilian space program by budget behind NASA, the organization functions as both a programmatic agency and space operator while having supported 200 aerospace companies since 2017. The agency represents France within the European Space Agency and participates in major international initiatives, including the Galileo satellite navigation system, the Copernicus environmental monitoring program, and the Ariane launch vehicle series. The French Space Agency was established in 1961 by President Charles de Gaulle.