Overview | Who does what? | S5 satellite preparation facility | Practical information | Public visits | Spaceport history

The Spaceport

“Any mass, to any orbit, anytime”

• Ariane 5 offers the commercial marketplace’s greatest lift capacity, with 10 metric tons delivered to GTO and up to 20 metric tons to LEO
  
• Soyuz is an exceptionally versatile launcher, perfectly suited for mid-range payloads, MEO, LEO and Sun-synchronous satellites, as well as Earth escape missions
  
• Vega is Europe’s new lightweight launch vehicle and is tailored for small- to medium-sized satellite payloads on missions to LEO and Sun-synchronous orbit

Spaceport introduction > Public visits

While access to the Spaceport is limited due to operational and safety considerations, it is possible for the public to experience the excitement of an Ariane liftoff and see firsthand how the Guiana Space Center operates. Advance coordination is necessary for visits to the Spaceport grounds.

Touring the Spaceport: Guided tours are available free of charge, but reservations are required. Requests should be addressed to the CNES national space agency's Public Relations Department. Tours are conducted by CNES twice daily, Monday through Thursday, at 7:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. On Friday, a single tour begins at 7:45 a.m. There are no tours during certain days due to launch preparations, and tours are not held on launch days. Write to the CNES, Public Relations Office, Guiana Space Center, Post Office Box 726, 97387 Kourou, French Guiana Cedex. Telephone: +33 (0)5 94-33-44-82, fax: +33 (0)5 94-33-47-19. Children under the age of eight are not allowed on the Spaceport's grounds.

Watching a launch: Contact the CNES Public Relations Department in writing for invitations to view an Ariane liftoff from one of two visitors' sites on the Guiana Space Center grounds. Send written requests to the CNES, Public Relations Office, Guiana Space Center, Post Office Box 726, 97387 Kourou, French Guiana Cedex. Provide complete address and title/status of guests wishing to attend the launch, and specify the age of children. No one under the age of eight is admitted to the Spaceport viewing sites. Arianespace posts the dates of upcoming missions on its website as soon as the dates are confirmed.

The Space Museum: Located on the public side of the Guiana Space Center's technical area, the Space Museum is the Spaceport's most accessible site. Exhibits trace the history of the launch base, as well as providing an overview of the Ariane program and European space activities. Admission is 6,10 Euros for adults and 3,80 Euros for children. The museum is open for public visits from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday without reservation or advance approval. On Saturdays, hours are from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Guided tours also are available through advance booking.