National center of space studies - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

The National center of space studies ( CNES ) is a Public corporation related to commercial industrial and (EPIC) French, placed under the joint supervision of the ministries for Research and Defense.

Created under the impulse of the general De Gaulle, the December 15th 1961, it aims to work out the space policy of the France.

Spheres of activity

The CNES works in collaboration with Arianespace (Évry) and the European space agency (ESA), on five spheres of activity:

the access to space;
the operational and commercial applications (work on different programs space: spot - ERS 1 - METEOSAT PLEIADS;
linked activities with the defense and the overall monitoring of the environment and safety;
scientific programs;
the coordination of the policy of the space Industry French.

The head office of the CNES is located at Paris: the teams with the seat propose then implement the space policy of France within Europe, and lay down the great strategic directions of the company and the foreground programs.

The establishments are established with:

Évry (Direction of the Launchers): the direction of the launchers ensures the development of the ARIANE launchers and accompanies the phase by industrial production for the account of Arianespace. It is responsible for the 1st stage of the launcher Vega and project superintendent of the step of shooting of Soyuz in Guyana. It prepares the future while working on the new generations of launchers and systems of propulsion.
in Guyana (Guianese Space center): " port spatial" Europe, from which the launchers ARIANE 5 (and soon Soyuz or Vega) are sent in space. A complex mission, where the CNES places at the disposal of the Esa and Arianespace a base space reliable, sure, and powerful, and guarantees in the name of France the safety of the goods and the people. The site of Kourou has an exceptional geographical position which authorizes launchings towards the east (while profiting the speed of drive of the ground) or north under maximum security conditions: the launcher does not fly over any ground before 4000 km.

Space center of Toulouse

The Space center of Toulouse (CST) develops, in partnership with the scientific industrialists and laboratories, of the complete space systems, since the design of the satellites and their instruments until their exploitation in orbit. Considered for its know-how in this field, the CST also carries out for the scientists of the campaigns balloons in the whole world.

Various actions and positions

The National center of space studies is at the origin of quantity of space projects, even if it is not him which manufactures the launchers or the satellites. In the case of the launchers, after having designed the ARIANE die, the CNES acts today like authority of design and qualification on behalf of the French State which is the State of launching.

The CNES plays also the part of assistant to the building owner, the European space agency for the new developments.

The CNES is one of the originators of the system Cospas-Sarsat, international research program and rescue of maritime, aeronautical or terrestrial vehicles in any point of the sphere. Initiated in 1982, it is composed of a constellation of satellites permanently flying over the Earth with the listening of the signals emitted by the beacons of distress. Tomorrow the carrying of payload Cospas-Sarsat on the future European satellites of navigation Galileo will increase the performances; with Galileo times of alarm will be reduced, and the localization increased to a few meters.

The National center of space studies is signatory of the Pacte SME.

CNES has a position of opening compared to the extraterrestrial Hypothèse to explain the phenomenon Ovnis, via the Groupe of Studies and Information on the P.A.N (and its predecessors). The conclusions of the investigators of the CNES relative to certain unexplainable cases allegedly were disputed by the ufosceptic .

Actions towards the young people

The CNES always had a policy of information of youth by many teaching means created and implemented through many exposures.

It signed, in 1986, a partnership convention, with the Association PARSEC which disseminates the scientific information on the Riviera. It was renewed in 2001.

Since, the internal magazines of the CNES quote readily PARSEC

People exerting or having exerted leading responsibilities

Presidents

Pierre Auger: February 18th, 1961 - October 30th, 1962
Jean Coulomb: October 31st, 1962 - October 31st, 1967
Jean-François Denise: November 1st, 1967 - December 18th, 1973
Maurice Levy: December 19th, 1973 - June 30th, 1976
Hubert Curien: July 1st, 1976 - July 1984
Jacques-Louis Lions: October 1984 - November 3rd, 1992
Rene Pellat: November 4th, 1992 - January 29th, 1995
Andre Lebeau: January 30th, 1995 - January 30th, 1996
Alain Bensoussan: January 31st, 1996 - February 12th, 2003
Yannick d' Escatha: since February 19th, 2003

Managing directors

Robert Aubinière: February 24th, 1962 - December 1973
Michel Bignier: January 24th, 1974 - July 1st, 1976
Yves Sillard: July 2nd, 1976 - July 1st, 1982
Frederic d' Allest: July 8th, 1982 - August 1st, 1989
Jean-Marie Luton: 1989 - October 1990
Jean-Daniel Levi: October 1990 - January 1996
Gerard Brachet: July 10th, 1997 - September 19th, 2002

The function of DG vacant, then was removed by decree of January 25th, 2005

Delegated general directors (named in-house by the president of the CNES)

Michel Lefevre: 2003 - 2005
Stephan Janichewski: since January 19th, 2006

Notes and references of the article

See too

External bonds and documents

Official site

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