CNES (Centre National d''Etudes Spatiales, or National Space Study Center) has been France's national civil space agency since its formation in 1962. CNES is also involved in military space activities in association with the DMA (D'el'egation G'en'erale pour l'Armement), the division of the Minist`ere de la Defense responsible for arms procurement.
Sites are:
CNES division DGA at Toulouse: DGA/T/AE are the inhouse experts on space technology. DGA/T/TI supports software; DGA/T/EO carries out operations. Operations have an early role in projects and plan the ground segment. CST carries out Mise en Poste for satellites, does COLA and TCM for Spot, with delta inc burns a few times per year. GEO satellite trim burns are made every 2 weeks or so. Ground stations at Toulouse, Kourou, Pretoria and Kerguelen. DGA/T/RC develops comsats (Telecom 2, Stentor), COSPAS/SARSAT. The 406 MHz part of SARSAT is developed by Toulouse. DGA/T/IO takes care of microgravity and Mir payloads. DGA/T/SH covers Spot and Helios development. After Spot 5 and Helios 2, CNES will move to smaller platforms.
CNES astronauts have flown on both Soviet/Russian and US spaceflights:
| Mission | Launch | Prime | Backup | Notes |
| PVH | Soyuz T-6 | Chretien | Baudry | 1982, Premier Vol Habit'e |
| Aragatz | Soyuz TM-7 | Chretien | Baudry | 1988 |
| Antares | Soyuz TM-15 | Tognini | Haignere | |
| Altair | Soyuz TM-17 | Haignere | Andre-Deshays | |
| Cassiopee | Soyuz TM-24 | Andre-Deshays | Haignere | |
| Pegase | Soyuz TM-27 | Eyharts | Haignere | |
| Perseus | Soyuz TM | Haignere | Andre-Deshays | Planned |
| STS 51-G | Baudry | Chretien | 1985 | |
| STS-78 | Favier | 1996 | ||
| STS-84 | Chretien | 1997 | ||
| STS-93 | Tognini | Planned | ||