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Space Mission exhibition at the Cité des sciences
Trade the Paris skyline for the infinite expanse of the stars during this immersive journey into the realities of space travel. From piloting futuristic modules to solving the complex logistical challenges of lunar life, you will discover why today's robotic missions are just the first step toward our next big human frontier.
Cité des sciences et de l'industrie (Paris 19th)
About
Mission spatiale at the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie invites visitors to explore the complex world of space exploration through a permanent exhibition running until December 31, 2027. This immersive experience spans five thematic sections, detailing everything from robotic scouting missions to the technical requirements of human life on lunar or Martian bases. You can discover full-scale replicas of spacecraft like Orion and engage with interactive multimedia to understand the future of cosmic travel. This paid exhibition is designed for anyone curious about how we navigate the stars and is open to the public.
Space Mission is an invitation to travel through time and space. It offers a glimpse of the opportunities that space provides, but also their limitations.
The exhibition, whose journey is divided into five parts, offers an overview of research, technologies, and reflections surrounding space missions.
Explore
Human and robotic space exploration are inseparable
In this first part, the visitor discovers objects that go where humans cannot go for safety or timing reasons. Probes and rovers collect images and sounds and analyze atmospheres or rock samples, but also prepare for the arrival of human beings.
Travel
Set off to prepare for drilling on Europa, a moon of Jupiter located millions of kilometers from Earth. Thanks to this spectacle, experience a space expedition from liftoff to landing. From the discovery of launch vehicles to the choice of propulsion mode, through the calculation of trajectories, reality is far from resembling science fiction films!
Transit
Do you know Artemis? This program enabled the launch of the Orion spacecraft via the SLS launcher at the end of 2022. Orion successfully completed its first uncrewed voyage around the moon, paving the way for a future crewed mission. Discover a replica of Orion and another of I-HAB, the European habitat module of the Lunar Gateway space station.
Stay
Here, visitors travel into the future, set foot on the moon, and stroll through an established base. How to live there autonomously, using resources found on-site and recycling as much as possible? What architectural solutions are needed to adapt to lunar constraints? Through a multimedia game, embody an astronaut training to live a day on Mars.
Question
Step back.
A word from experts: astrophysicist, sociologist, or geopolitician. An audiovisual display provides a reflection on the relationship our society maintains with space, and in particular on the reasons that motivate sending humans into space. In this final part, take the opportunity to check out the latest news on the subject.
Our take on this event
The Cité des sciences et de l'industrie hosts the Mission spatiale exhibition, an in-depth look at human and robotic space travel, open until 31:00 on December 31, 2027. The tour is organized into five distinct phases, beginning with the Explorer section, which examines the roles of rovers and probes in preparing for human arrival. In the Voyager section, you experience a simulated expedition from launch to landing, focusing on the mechanics of trajectories and propulsion systems.
Progressing to the Transiter section, visitors can view detailed replicas of the Orion spacecraft and the European I-HAB module. The Séjourner area focuses on future colonization, where you can play a multimedia game simulating daily life and resource management on Mars. The exhibition concludes with the Questionner section, featuring audiovisual insights from astrophysicists, sociologists, and geopolitical experts who analyze the societal motivations behind space exploration.
Entrance to the exhibition is paid. Please note that this is a long-term installation accessible to all visitors.
