Main entities present at Europe’s spaceport
The three main actors present at the CSG, Europe’s spaceport, are:
ESA, which assures the overall direction of the European launcher development programmes. It also develops the launchers production and launches facilities and contributes in a significant way to the launch base’s fixed costs.
CNES, which, by delegation from ESA, is the prime contractor for the Ariane development programmes and for the construction of the facilities at CSG. It also co-ordinates the operations and the exploitation of the launch base and the payload preparation complexes. Moreover, it is responsible for the safety and security of people and property at CSG.
Arianespace is in charge of the commercialisation of the European launchers services on the World market. It ensures the management of the ARIANE production programme. In French Guiana, it operates the Ariane Launch Complexes (ELA) and it is in charge of final integration and launch operations.
There is also a substantial European industrial presence at CSG, through many companies participating in the manufacture of launcher elements, in the launcher test and integration activities, in the launch sites construction activities and in the maintenance and exploitation of the launch base. The companies with a permanent presence at CSG fall into the following two groups:
- The Guiana Industrial Space Community (C.I.S.G.), which includes CNES, Arianespace and ESA as an observer, plus the following industrial establishments:
- REGULUS, which operates the Guiana Propellant Plant (UPG) devoted to the Ariane-5 solid rocket motor boosters (EAP) production and storage,
- EUROPROPULSION, which operates the solid rocket booster assembly building (BIP) for the vertical assembly of the Ariane-5 propellant loaded segments (MPS),
- EADS Launch Vehicles, in charge of Ariane-5 solid booster stage integration ; EADS operates also the EAP Exploitation and Preparation Building (BPE) and EAP Storage Building (BSE),
- Air Liquide Spatial Guyane, which operates the liquid oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen plants plus the helium production and storage unit.
- These CISG members, plus 28 other European industrial partners form the UEBS (Launch Base Union of Employers). The list and coordinates of these industrial partners are provided in ‘Companies and entities at CSG’ (see Related links)
One must add to this figure the many companies (mainly local) working as subcontractors to the CISG and UEBS members, and the European companies that come to CSG to undertake particular activities (e.g. civil works, provision of telecommunication networks, fluid installations, software, etc.), but who don’t have a permanent presence.
The participation of all these companies is a major asset for the CSG and contributes to highlight its European character, which is an essential element of the centre.
Last update: 21 July 2008
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