Europe’s spaceport

Any country seeking independent access to space needs not only a launcher, but also launch facilities. Until the early 1960s, CNES used the military bases at Hammaguir and Colomb-Béchard in Algeria. But as relations deteriorated between France and Algeria, France had to find a new base.

Kourou in French Guiana was chosen from 14 possible sites. It features many advantages, including its proximity to the equator, lack of seismic activity or hurricanes, and political stability.

The base’s importance has grown over the years. With the creation of the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1973, Kourou became Europe’s spaceport. ESA contributed to its development by financing most of the improvement and extension work to make it the launch site for Ariane, the spearhead of Europe’s space programme, starting in 1979.

The Guiana Space Centre (CSG) is today one of the most modern and best-equipped launch sites in the world. It has won the confidence of many industrial customers in Europe, as well as in the Americas, Japan and India, which use the base to launch their satellites.

^{Last updated: April 2004}