CNES, Space agency and research institute in Paris, France
The Centre National d'Études Spatiales is France's space agency based in the 1st Arrondissement of Paris and coordinates all French space programs and space missions. The organization directs research projects and technological development for the national space industry.
The agency was founded in 1961 and became the third space organization worldwide after the Soviet and American space programs. Its creation marked France's entry into space research and satellite development.
The agency maintains a large archive of UFO sighting reports that has been open to the public online since 2006. This reflects an openness to investigating questions beyond conventional space exploration.
Visitors can find the headquarters located near the Les Halles district in central Paris. The site sits in an accessible area with good connections to public transportation throughout the city.
A lesser-known fact is that the agency sent a cat into space in 1963, marking an early milestone in space exploration history. This achievement demonstrated France's commitment to biological space research.
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