Space Resources & Exploration companies in France
Space Atlas lists 8 organisations in France working in space resources & exploration: 6 research institutions, 1 private company, 1 startup. That is 7% of the 110 space organisations in France and 6% of the 129 in this sector worldwide. Most are based in Flourens (1), Ivry-sur-Seine (1), Orsay (1).
Research Institution (6)
- Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS) · Research Institution · Orsay
French CNRS and Université Paris-Saclay lab — studies the Sun, planets and cosmology and develops space science instruments.
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP) · Research Institution · Toulouse
French CNRS and Toulouse university lab — conducts space astrophysics and planetology and builds instruments such as SuperCam and SVOM payloads.
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS) · Research Institution · Guyancourt
French CNRS/UVSQ/Sorbonne research lab — builds space instruments (spectrometers, radars, mass spectrometers) to study planetary and Earth atmospheres.
- Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM) · Research Institution · Marseille
CNRS, Aix-Marseille University and CNES astrophysics lab in Marseille — builds space instruments such as Euclid's NISP spectrophotometer.
- Laboratoire d'Études Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique (LESIA) · Research Institution · Meudon
French CNRS/Observatoire de Paris laboratory in Meudon — designs and qualifies space instruments for astrophysics and planetary missions such as JAXA's MMX.
- Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA) · Research Institution · Nice
French astronomy and Earth sciences observatory in Nice — major role in ESA Gaia data processing and Euclid, hosts a CNES university space centre.
Private Company (1)
- Comat · Private Company · Flourens
French space equipment maker — designs mechanisms, reaction wheels, deployable systems and scientific instruments for satellites and exploration missions.
Startup (1)
- Gama · Startup · Ivry-sur-Seine
French NewSpace company — develops solar sails and modular deployable solar arrays (Gama Wing); flew the Gama Alpha sail demonstrator in 2023.