Public area

Accompanied by an experienced guide you can watch a film relating the history of the Space Centre before visiting the JUPITER Control Room and the gigantic Ariane 5 facilities.

++ Enrolment and advance booking required:

Visits are free for anyone of 8 years or older, but official identification is required.

Open Monday to Thursday : 8:15 am and 13:15 pm - Fridays : 8:15am only

For safety reasons, the Centre is closed to visitors between D-1 and D-0 of an Ariane launch. Times and circuits may also be modified depending on specific operations taking place on the Base. All this information is confirmed for visitors at the moment of booking and enrolment.

Watching the launch of an Ariane rocket from an observation post is an unforgettable experience. After the tension of the countdown and the drama of ignition, Ariane lifts off majestically into the night. For around 35 minutes, you can follow all the phases of Ariane’s flight on a giant screen while holding your breath until the satellites have been placed in orbit.

Requests for invitations, including your surname, name, date and place of birth and contact details (address, telephone and fax) should be sent by post to :

CNES - Centre Spatial Guyanais - Service Communication BP 726 - 97387 KOUROU CEDEX

* to be confirmed by phone

Close observation sites (at least 7.5 km from the Launch Zone) are accessible to visitors aged 16 and over and the Jupiter Room is accessible to visitors aged 12 and over.

For certain observation sites, priority is given to launch customers, with the result that invitations can only be issued as available and in the order in which requests are received. Launches can also be watched from the CARAPA observation site, where there are no restrictions on time or age.

Apart from the Space Centre itself, visitors can travel through time via seven theme modules :

1. the universe,
2. the conquest of Space : from dream to reality,
3. Europe’s launch vehicles,
4. manned flight,
5. satellite technology,
6. application and scientific payloads,
7. the future.

Visitors can also watch several shows: an introduction to Space activities (Holorama), the first landing of a human being on the Moon (Lunorama) and finally, the preparation and lift-off of an Ariane launcher from the Guiana Space Centre (Slide Show).

*Reduced prices for: groups, visitors to CSG, Saturdays.