CNES’s programme dedicated to studying and exploring the universe aims to advance knowledge and understanding of astronomy and astrophysics, fundamental physics, exobiology, planets and small bodies, and the Sun, heliosphere and magnetosphere.
Objectives
This programme aims to advance knowledge and understanding of:
- The origin and evolution of the universe
- Its constituent objects, i.e. galaxies and galaxy clusters, the Sun, stars, planets, asteroids, comets and interstellar clouds
- How life emerged and expanded
It is therefore focused on key scientific questions:
- Did life appear elsewhere in the universe? And if so, how, on what types of planet and around what stars?
- Did life appear elsewhere in the solar system apart from on Earth? How does the solar system work, and how did it form and evolve?
- How did the universe form and then evolve into galaxies, stars and planets?
- What is its ultimate fate?
- What new physics is needed to unravel the secrets of the very young universe and its most violent events?
Subject matters
- Astronomy and astrophysics
- Exobiology, exoplanets and planetary protection
- Fundamental physics
- Solar system planets and small bodies
- Microgravity material sciences
- Space life sciences
- Sun, heliosphere, magnetosphere and space weather
