The Equatorial Advantage
The Guiana Space Centre (CSG) owes its existence to a principle of physics. Located just 5 degrees north of the equator, its position provides a "slingshot effect" for rockets launching eastward. Earth rotates fastest at its equator, giving any rocket on the launchpad a built-in velocity of approximately 460 meters per second (about 1,656 km/h). This rotational boost is imparted directly to the launch vehicle, saving large amounts of propellant. The fuel savings allow rockets to either carry heavier payloads or extend the operational lives of satellites by reserving more fuel for orbital station-keeping.
This location was chosen in 1964 after France had to abandon its previous launch site in newly independent Algeria. Of 14 potential sites, French Guiana offered the best combination of equatorial proximity and safety. The wide expanse of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and north provides a safe corridor for rocket stages to fall after they are jettisoned. This geography allows for a wide range of launch trajectories, with an angle of 102 degrees available for missions targeting different orbits. The region is also geologically stable, with no history of earthquakes or hurricanes.
Europe's Spaceport
The Guiana Space Centre became operational on April 9, 1968, with the launch of a Véronique sounding rocket. The first satellite was placed into orbit from Kourou in 1970. In 1975, the French government offered to share the facility with the newly formed European Space Agency (ESA), which now funds two-thirds of the spaceport's annual budget. The site itself is managed by the French space agency, CNES.
The facility covers 700 square kilometers and contains multiple distinct launch complexes built for different rocket families.
- ELA-4 (Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4): This is the newest launch complex, built on a 150-hectare site specifically for Europe's heavy-lift Ariane 6 rocket.
- ELV (Ensemble de Lancement Vega): Originally built for the Europa 2 rocket, this pad was refurbished and is now used for the smaller Vega-C launcher.
- ELS (Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz): From 2011 to 2022, this complex was a unique collaboration with Russia, hosting 27 launches of the Soyuz rocket. The Soyuz vehicle required significant modifications to operate in the tropical climate, and the launch complex included a 52-meter tall mobile gantry to allow for vertical payload integration in a climate-controlled environment—a feature not present at Russian launch sites.
From these pads, the CSG has launched some of space science's most missions. An Ariane 5 rocket launched the James Webb Space Telescope on December 25, 2021. The Rosetta mission to comet 67P began its journey from Kourou in 2004, as did the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) in 2023.