Guiana Space Centre (Kourou)

The Guiana Space Centre (CSG) functions as Europe’s primary orbital launch site, providing the ground infrastructure necessary for preparing, assembling, and launching heavy, medium, and light-lift vehicles. Located near Kourou in French Guiana, its proximity to the equator allows for efficient launches into both geostationary and polar orbits. It sits at a critical junction of the space value chain, acting as the physical gateway for satellite deployment and space exploration missions. Operated through a partnership between the French space agency and the European Space Agency, the facility supports the Ariane and Vega rocket families. It provides specialised launch pads, mission control centres, and payload processing facilities for a global customer base, including telecommunications operators, scientific institutions, and government agencies. Major programmes currently supported at the site include the transition to the Ariane 6 and the continued operation of the Vega-C launch systems. Prospective partners and launch customers should verify the current operational status of specific launch complexes and the availability of slots within the long-term manifest. It is also necessary to confirm compliance with European and French space regulations, as well as the technical compatibility of payload processing requirements with the site’s cleanroom and fueling infrastructure.