Christelle Astorg-Lepine

Christelle Astorg-Lepine, Space engineer and Master’s degree in «Energy Conversion» from the University of Paris-VI, joined CNES in 1995 and began her career working for the Launchers Direction. She led many projects in the field of launchers, between 1997 and 2005 as Project Manager of the Main Cryotechnical Stage (EPC) of Ariane 5 and the Project Manager Vinci.

In 2005, she took over the Future Launchers Projects Service, where she launched innovative projects such as Perseus or Aldebaran (mini-launchers project), then joined the French Delegation in 2008 as a Future Launchers and Orbital Infrastructures Thematic Officer at the European Space Agency.

In 2010, she focused her career on digital and communication. She led the project of redesigning the CNES intranet towards a creative and innovative collaborative intranet, widely used today by employees, then from 2015 to 2018 she piloted the CNES Internal Communication for its 4 centers.

In 2019, Christelle took over the Connect by CNES program at the Innovation Directorate, to put CNES expertise at the service of companies able to develop innovative products and services using space technologies and solutions. To do this, she coordinated the deployment of the Connect By CNES service offer to start-ups, large non-space industrial groups and local authorities in France and internationally

In 2021, with a professional background at the crossroads of major technology programs and supporting research projects and technological startups, she was posted for 3 years at Starburst Accelerator, the first aeronautical accelerator, space and defence to the world, to take over the BLAST programme and then becomes Managing Director of Starburst France to cover all consulting and acceleration activities.

In 2024, she returns to CNES to launch the Space Foundation whose mission is to support, encourage and bring together around the passion for space, serving the common good through actions that will make the sector more accessible to the young public and promote science (scientific exhibitions, second-year internship, Ecole de la seconde chance du Spatial, etc.),

Since January 2025, Christelle has held the strategic position of Space Advisor to the French Embassy in the United Arab Emirates and represents CNES in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrein, Jordan and Egypt. Her role is to promote space cooperation in the civil, commercial and military sectors.