European Space Agency
Videos
The European Space Agency is a 23-member international organisation devoted to space exploration. It has its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 3,000 people globally as of 2025. ESA was found
European Space Agency headquarters in Paris
Europa II rocket (larger horizontal rocket in the background), Skylark sounding rocket (front centre-left), and a model of the Ariane 4 orbital rocket (to the right from Skylark) at Euro Space Center
Pierre Auger (far left) visiting the European Space Research and Technology Centre ESTEC on 3 February 1967
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) observing the Sun
CNES
Videos
CNES is the French national space agency. Headquartered in central Paris, the agency is overseen by the ministries of the Armed Forces, Economy and Finance and Higher Education, Research and Innovatio
CNES headquarters in Paris
CNES facility at the Toulouse Space Centre
Ariane 1, 3 and 4 models in a CNES window
Ariane 5-ECA model showcase at CNES, Paris