Guiana Space Centre Overview

The Guiana Space Centre, also known as Europe's Spaceport, is located northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, a region of France in South America. Operational since 1968, its proximity to the equator makes it an efficient site for launching spacecraft into near-equatorial and geostationary orbits. This location provides significant energy savings and safety advantages, as rockets can launch towards the east over the open sea, minimizing risk. Managed by the European Space Agency, CNES, and Arianespace, the center supports a range of rockets, including Ariane, Soyuz, and Vega, and has facilities for payload integration and launch preparation. It's a key site for Europe's space endeavors, launching satellites for various purposes including telecommunications, Earth observation, and scientific research.