Guiana Space Center (CSG), French Guyana

Guiana Space Center (CSG), French Guyana

The Guiana Space Centre (French: Centre Spatial Guyanais, CSG), also called Europe’s Spaceport, 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°. The complex is in operation since 1968 and is a suitable location for a spaceport because of its near equatorial location and open sea to the east and north.

At the Guiana Space Center (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 (ESA).

Launch operator Arianespace operates the launches including planning missions, handing customer relationships and overseeing the team at CSG at 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.