Installation of CSG in French Guiana

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik-1, the first artificial Earth satellite, which marked the beginning of Space exploration. The United Sates then launched its first satellite, Explorer-1, on January 31, 1958. Driven by an ambitious Space policy, these countries quickly invested in the necessary facilities and organisations for achieving their goals.

In France, General De Gaulle, re-elected in 1958 and a firm believer in national independence, gave a new impetus to scientific research. The French government believed that it should get involved in Space research as had the Soviet Union and the United States. Coordination of French Space activities led to the creation, in January 1959, of a Space research committee chaired by Pierre Auger. However the goals of the national programme exceeded the possibilities of this committee and it became clear that more resources were needed to achieve it. The Committee then studied the powers that should be given to the future French Space Agency, which would group together activities which until then had been dispersed, in one organisation and which would also negotiate international agreements.

Michel Debré, Prime Minister and Pierre Guillaumat, the Minister in charge of scientific research, had a law passed on 19 December 1961 which created the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) whose first President was Pierre Auger and whose first Director General was General Robert Aubinière.

First facilities in Algeria

In terms of an agreement signed at the end of 1961 between the Minister of the Defence Force and the Minister in charge of Scientific Research, CNES initially used the military firing range facilities at the joint staff missile testing centres (CIEES) and (CERES), installed in Algeria, at the two respective complexes of Colomb-Béchard and Hammaguir.

Choice of French Guiana for the new launch base

When Algeria became independent in 1962, France was forced to abandon the Hammaguir launch pad and CNES began looking for a new base near the Equator, a zone which would facilitate all Space missions. To select the site, the CNES Ground Facilities Division, part of the Scientific and Technical Directorate, studied various possibilities.

14 sites were studied

The Seychelles archipelago, the island of Trinidad, the island of Nuku-Hiva Hiva (Marquises, French Polynesia), the Touamotu archipelago (island of Rairoa, French Polynesia), the island of Desirade (French West-Indies), the island of Marie-Galante (French West-Indies), Cayenne (French Guiana), Djibouti (French coast of Somaliland), Darwin (Australia), Trincomale (Ceylon, now Sri Lanka), Fort Dauphin (Madagascar Republic), Mogadishu (Republic of Somalia), Port-Etienne (Islamic Republic of Mauritania) and Belem (Brazil).

Selection criteria

• The potential for placing satellites on both polar and equatorial orbits
• Proximity of the equator
• Site with a surface area large enough to ensure launch safety
• A deep-water port with sufficient handling facilities
• An airport capable of receiving long-range aircraft (with a landing strip of 3,000 m)
• As short a distance as possible between the launch base and Europe
• Political stability

In February 1964, the report of the CNES Scientific and Technical Directorate ranked the choices according to the selection criteria. There were five possible sites but French Guiana was the clear favourite.

Finally, on April 14, 1964, Prime Minister Georges Pompidou chose French Guiana as it offered many advantages over the other sites:

• It was wide open to the Atlantic Ocean, which would be advantageous for all Space missions, both for launches to the east (for placing satellites on geostationary orbits) and towards the north (for placing satellites on polar orbits) with the least possible risk to the population and surrounding property.
• The proximity of the equator (5.3° latitude North) which would take advantage of the catapult effect (energy provided by the Earth’s speed of rotation around its polar axis); this effect gives launchers an extra speed of about 460 m/s.
• Low population density (45,000 inhabitants in 1964 in a territory of 91,000 km2, i.e. 1/6th of France), densely concentrated on the coastal strip.
• The possibility of installing tracking facilities on surrounding hills (radars and telemetry antennas).
• A well-ventilated site and fairly comfortable climate in spite of its equatorial position.
• An area sheltered from cyclones and not vulnerable to earthquakes.
• Existing infrastructures which could be adapted fairly easily for the future Space centre (roads, airport, ports, telecommunications, etc.).

The Guiana Space Centre (CSG) was installed in Kourou in 1965.

Major undertakings since 1965

At the beginning of the 1960’s, French Guiana did not yet have the industrial and socio-economic environment needed for the CSG. The first few years were thus devoted to developing the Département and complementing the existing port and airport facilities with nearby infrastructures devoted to Space activities. Field surveys were thus undertaken to study possible development (for access routes, water supply, power supply, telecommunications, housing, health clinics, etc.). More than 2,500 people representing 11 different nationalities came to build the new city as well as the CSG’s technical and operational sites. Consequently, while the Space centre was being built, urban and communal facilities were installed in Kourou, Cayenne and the surrounding areas.

• In September 1965 construction began on the Pariacabo port area, consisting of a jetty and a set of installations; the jetty has been operational since 1966 and the MN Toucan and the MN Colibri, boats which transport stages of the Ariane launcher, were able to dock there.
• 1966: building of the Kourou Medical/Surgical Clinic and a maternity hospital in 1971
• 1968: lengthening of the air strip at the Rochambeau airport.