Editing CNES (section)

===Access to space===
[[File:Ariane-1-3-4-showcase.jpg|thumb|[[Ariane 1]], [[Ariane 3|3]] and [[Ariane 4|4]] models in a CNES window]]
[[File:Ariane-5-model.jpg|thumb|[[Ariane 5]]-ECA model showcase at CNES, [[Paris]]]]
France was the third space power (see [[Diamant]]) to achieve [[Timeline of artificial satellites and space probes|access to space]] after the USSR and US, sharing technologies with Europe to develop the Ariane launcher family. Commercial competition in space is fierce, so launch services must be tailored to space operators' needs. The latest versions of the [[Ariane 5]] launch vehicle can launch large satellites to [[geosynchronous orbit]] or perform dual launches—launching two full-size satellites with one rocket—while the other launch vehicles used for European payloads and commercial satellites—the European/Italian [[Vega (launcher)|Vega]] and Russian [[Soyuz-2 (rocket)|Soyuz-2]]—are small and medium-lift launchers, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Federation|first=International Astronautical|title=IAF : Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)|url=https://www.iafastro.org/membership/all-members/centre-national-detudes-spatiales-cnes.html|access-date=2021-03-02|website=www.iafastro.org|language=en}}</ref>