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Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (300)
Photo: Soyuz VS03 roll-Out

Guiana Space Centre
206 Photos / Page 1 of 4
5° 14′ 22″ N, 52° 46′ 6″ W

Description

The Guiana Space Centre or, more commonly, Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) is a French spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana. Operational since 1968, it is particularly suitable as a location for a spaceport due to its proximity to the equator, and that launches are in a favourable direction over water.

The European Space Agency, the French space agency (CNES), and the commercial Arianespace company conduct launches from Kourou. The location was selected in 1964 to become the spaceport of France.

When the European Space Agency (ESA) was founded in 1975, France offered to share Kourou with ESA. …

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Main sights

The GSC facility covers a total of 850 km².

  • ELA-3: (Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 3) is currently active for Ariane 5 launches.
  • ELS / Soyuz at CSG: On October 21, 2011 two Galileo IOV satellites were launched from the ELS (Ensemble de Lancement Soyuz) using a Soyuz-ST rocket. This was the first launch of a Soyuz rocket at the Guiana Space Centre.
  • ELV: ELA-1 is being rebuilt to support launches of the Vega rocket, back under the current designation of ELV (Ensemble de Lancement Vega).

In-Orbit Validation (IOV) Satellites

The testbed satellites GIOVE-A and GIOVE-B were followed by four IOV Galileo satellites that are much closer to the final Galileo satellite design.

The first two satellites were launched on 21 October 2011 from Guiana Space Centre using a Soyuz launcher, the other two on 12 October 2012.

This enabled key validation tests, since earth-based receivers such as those in cars and phones need to “see” a minimum of four satellites in order to calculate their position in three dimensions.

Those 4 IOV Galileo satellites were constructed under the responsibility of Astrium GmbH (now Airbus Defence and Space GmbH). On 12 March 2013, a first fix was performed using those four IOV satellites.

Map

Map: Guiana Space Centre
Map: Guiana Space Centre

★ Open the Google Maps link in a new window at the location: Soyuz launch pad, Ariane 5 launch pad, Jupiter control room

Photo gallery
206 Photos

Page 1 of 4 / Photos 1 to 60

Soyuz VS01 launch day (228)
Soyuz VS01 launch day (228)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (302)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (302)
Jupiter control room (40)
Jupiter control room (40)
Galileo launch campaign M2 (115) Transport to French Guiana with an Antonov AH-124
Galileo launch campaign M2 (115)Transport to French Guiana with an Antonov AH-124
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (300)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (300)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (200)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (200)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (165)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (165)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (588)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (588)
Soyuz VS03 in the MIK (19)
Soyuz VS03 in the MIK (19)
Soyuz launch pad (53)
Soyuz launch pad (53)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (536)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (536)
Soyuz launch pad (207)
Soyuz launch pad (207)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (441)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (441)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (276)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (276)
Soyuz launch pad (41)
Soyuz launch pad (41)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (911)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (911)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (668)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (668)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (513)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (513)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (340)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (340)
Soyuz launch pad (58)
Soyuz launch pad (58)
Soyuz launch pad (76)
Soyuz launch pad (76)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (840)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (840)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (245)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (245)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (876)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (876)
Soyuz launch pad (275)
Soyuz launch pad (275)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (494)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (494)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (78)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (78)
Galileo launch campaign M1 (60) Transport to French Guiana with an Iliouchine il-78
Galileo launch campaign M1 (60)Transport to French Guiana with an Iliouchine il-78
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (760)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (760)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (788)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (788)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (824)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (824)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (27)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (27)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (525)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (525)
Galileo launch campaign M2 (126) Transport to French Guiana with an Antonov AH-124
Galileo launch campaign M2 (126)Transport to French Guiana with an Antonov AH-124
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (735)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (735)
Soyuz VS03 in the MIK (45)
Soyuz VS03 in the MIK (45)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (173)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (173)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (130)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (130)
Galileo launch campaign M2 (102) Transport to French Guiana with an Antonov AH-124
Galileo launch campaign M2 (102)Transport to French Guiana with an Antonov AH-124
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (85)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (85)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (297)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (297)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (607)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (607)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (754)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (754)
Ariane 5 V209 launch (325)
Ariane 5 V209 launch (325)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (809)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (809)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (214)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (214)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (287)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (287)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (601)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (601)
Soyuz launch pad (98)
Soyuz launch pad (98)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (556)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (556)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (896)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (896)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (265)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (265)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (618)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (618)
Soyuz launch pad (353)
Soyuz launch pad (353)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (781)
Soyuz VS01 roll-out (781)
Soyuz launch pad (326)
Soyuz launch pad (326)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (545)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (545)
Ariane 5 V209 roll-out (299)
Ariane 5 V209 roll-out (299)
Soyuz VS01 launch day (320) Laurent Wauquiez
Soyuz VS01 launch day (320)Laurent Wauquiez
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (293)
Soyuz VS03 roll-Out (293)