Guiana Space Centre|
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Panoramic view of Guiana Space Centre |
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| Formed | 14 April 1964 (1964-04-14) |
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| Jurisdiction | Government of France |
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| Headquarters | Kourou, French Guiana |
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| Employees | 1,700 direct (2020)
7,500 indirect (2011) |
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| Agency executive | |
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| Parent agency | ESA / EUSPA / CNES |
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| Website | centrespatialguyanais.cnes.fr |
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Map of Guiana Space Centre |
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Guiana Space Centre |
| Coordinates | 5°10′08″N 52°41′25″W / 5.169°N 52.6903°W / 5.169; -52.6903 |
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| Operator | Arianespace, ESA |
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| Total launches | 327 |
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| Launch pad(s) | 7 |
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| Status | Active |
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| First launch | 10 March 1970 |
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| Status | Inactive |
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| Launches | 412 |
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| First launch | 1968 |
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| Last launch | 1981 |
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Associated
rockets | Sounding rockets |
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| Status | Inactive |
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| Launches | 8 |
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| First launch | 10 March 1970
Diamant B (Mika / Wika) |
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| Last launch | 27 September 1975
Diamant BP4 (Aura) |
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Associated
rockets | - Retired: Diamant
- Future: Miura 5, RFA One, Spectrum, Callisto, Themis, Zephyr, SL1[1]
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| Status | Active |
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| Launches | 53 |
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| First launch | 5 November 1971
Europa II (STV 4) |
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| Last launch | 26 July 2025
Vega C (CO3D × 4 + MicroCarb) |
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Associated
rockets | - Current: Vega C
- Retired: Ariane 1, Ariane 2, Ariane 3, Europa II, Vega
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| Status | Inactive |
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| Launches | 119 |
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| First launch | 28 March 1986
Ariane 3 (GStar-2) |
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| Last launch | 15 February 2003
Ariane 4 (Intelsat 907) |
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Associated
rockets | - Retired: Ariane 2, Ariane 3, Ariane 4
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| Status | Inactive |
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| Launches | 117 |
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| First launch | 4 June 1996
Ariane 5 (Cluster) |
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| Last launch | 5 July 2023
Ariane 5 (Syracuse 4B / Heinrich Hertz) |
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Associated
rockets | |
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| Status | Inactive |
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| Launches | 27 |
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| First launch | 21 October 2011
Soyuz ST-B (Galileo) |
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| Last launch | 10 February 2022
Soyuz ST-B (OneWeb L13) |
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Associated
rockets | - Suspended: Soyuz ST-A, Soyuz ST-B[2]
- Future: Maia,
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| Status | Active |
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| Launches | 3 |
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| First launch | 9 July 2024
Ariane 6 (multiple payloads) |
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| Last launch | 13 August 2025
Ariane 6 (MetOp-SG-A1) |
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Associated
rockets | |
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The Guiana Space Centre (French: Centre spatial guyanais; CSG), also called Europe's Spaceport,[3][4] is a spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, an overseas region of France in South America. Kourou is located approximately 500 kilometres (310 mi; 270 nmi) north of the equator at a latitude of 5°. In operation since 1968, it is a suitable location for a spaceport because of its near equatorial location and open sea to the east and north.
At CSG, space launches are conducted by several European private companies and government agencies working together. The CSG land itself is managed by CNES, the French national space agency. The launch infrastructure built on the CSG land is owned by the European Space Agency. The private company Arianespace operates the launches including planning missions, handling customer relationships and overseeing the team at CSG that integrates and prepares vehicles for launch. The rockets themselves are designed and produced by other companies, ArianeGroup for the Ariane 6 and Avio for the Vega.