Here on Earth, the CADMOS centre for the development of microgravity applications and space operations conceives, organizes and keeps track of microgravity science and technology experiments in space.
Key information
Key figures
- 40 years’ expertise in human spaceflight
- 15 French astronaut missions
- 25 different scientific experiments every year
- 50-strong team
Key milestones
- 2026: First space mission of Sophie Adenot
- 2025: ACES atomic clock for PHARAO arrives on ISS
- 2024: Euro Material Ageing experiment installed outside ISS; New European Drawer Rack (EDR-2, operated by CADMOS) started up in Columbus module on ISS
- 2023: Food Processor and Cerebral Ageing experiments flown to ISS
- 2021: Alpha Mission (Thomas Pesquet) with 12 CNES experiments
- 2016-2017: Proxima Mission (Thomas Pesquet) with 7 CNES experiments
- 2010: Two new CADMOS instruments on ISS: MARES and Cardiomed
- 2009: DECLIC instrument flown to ISS, start of 15 years of operations
- 2008: European Columbus module berthed to station and started up with European Physiology Module (EPM) operated by CADMOS
- 2001: Permanent crew presence on ISS
- 1998: Construction of International Space Station gets underway
- 1996: Claudie Haigneré’s Cassiopée mission on Mir space station
- 1993: Creation of CADMOS; Jean-Pierre Haigneré’s Altaïr mission on Mir space station
Project in brief
CADMOS is the centre for the development of microgravity applications and space operations.
Crewed spaceflights aim to advance science and technology through experiments in microgravity conditions. Their goal is to observe physical, biological and physiological phenomena that are otherwise masked by gravity. For example, they might want to study how the cardiovascular system works, analyse the properties of certain fluids and materials or observe plant growth. The CADMOS laboratory at the Toulouse Space Centre plays a key role in this respect, helping scientists to prepare their experiments, monitoring them and collecting data.
The main platforms that CADMOS scientists use for microgravity science are the International Space Station (ISS), the Airbus A300-Zero G and on occasions unmanned space capsules.
CNES’s role
Cadmos is an operational structure of CNES, housed at the Toulouse Space Center since its creation in 1993.
CNES contacts
Project Leader/Manager for Crewed Spaceflights in development
Rémi Canton
E-mail: remi.canton at cnes.fr
Project Leader/Manager for Crewed Spaceflights in operation
Emmanuel Thulliez
E-mail: emmanuel.thulliez at cnes.fr
