News and Events

GOCE redraws the map of Earth’s geoid

After 2 years in orbit, ESA’s GOCE satellite recently unveiled the latest 3D map of Earth’s geoid, the reference surface that serves to measure elevations.

Fukushima - Forecasting radiation dispersal at sea

In the wake of the nuclear accident at Fukushima in Japan, the SIROCCO research group in Toulouse, overseen by CNES, has been simulating the dispersal of contamination at sea...

CFOSAT to gain new insights into sea state

A joint project of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and CNES, CFOSAT is now entering its detailed definition phase. The future satellite’s chief goal will be to...

CNES works to enhance GPS positioning

As professional applications relying on the satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) continue to expand, CNES’s engineers are working tirelessly to improve its positional...

SPOT: 25 years in service, 25 million images

The SPOT satellites, conceived and designed by CNES engineers, are celebrating 25 years in service. During their career, three generations of satellites have brought users an ever...

Yuri Gagarin exhibition at the Palais de la...

Satellites come to New Zealand’s aid

On 21 February, a severe earthquake hit the city of Christchurch. Satellites quickly swung into action to cover the disaster for the International Charter on Space and Natural...

SOHO spots its 2,000th comet

On 26 December 2010, the SOHO spacecraft clocked up its 2,000th comet. Helping in its quest, a network of devoted amateur astronomers keenly pores over each image acquired by the...

Parasol satellite mission could be extended

Parasol completed its 6th year in orbit on 18 December 2010. This mission to observe clouds and aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere has been a great a success for CNES, which is now...

Carbonates could be stable on Mars

According to results obtained by the spaceborne UVolution experiment supported by CNES, carbonates would appear to withstand solar UV radiation. This is a significant discovery...

Mission accomplished for the 19 Concordiasi...

In September and October 2010, 19 stratospheric balloons designed by CNES were released in the Antarctic Polar Vortex. The data gathered during the Concordiasi campaign are...

Sulphur dioxide in the upper atmosphere of Venus

Using data gathered by a measuring instrument on the Venus Express spacecraft developed with CNES support, an international team of researchers1 has found evidence of sulphur...

TARANIS satellite to study lightning

A CNES spacecraft is set to undertake first-of-a-kind observations of spectacular luminous events in Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Hartley 2 stirs up a cometary snow storm

After its encounter with comet Tempel 1 in 2005, NASA’s Deep Impact probe set a new course for comet Hartley 2. The latest images from the spacecraft reveal a small object...

One step closer to the cosmic origins of life

The IAS space astrophysics institute in Orsay, with support from CNES, has shown that organic matter from space may have played a key role in the appearance of life on Earth.

French scientists all set for U.S. Glory mission

NASA’s Glory Earth-observation science satellite is set to launch on 23 February from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. French scientists are taking part in this adventure...

Satellites aid wildfire response in Israel

The International Charter on Space and Major Disasters swung into action to aid emergency response to the recent wildfires in the north of Israel. CNES coordinated operations to...

DECLIC clocks up one year in orbit

The DECLIC mini-laboratory developed by CNES has been operating aboard the International Space Station for a year, letting scientists perform experiments remotely from Earth and...