The Guiana Space Centre

The Guiana Space Centre, near the coastal town of Kourou, is one of the most important and active spaceports in the world and Europe's gateway to space, a genuinely extraordinary sight at the edge of the Amazon rainforest. Its location close to the equator gives rockets an extra boost, and from here Europe's launchers have carried satellites and probes into orbit for decades. Visitors can take fascinating free guided tours of the sprawling site, seeing the launch pads, assembly buildings and mission control, and learning the science of spaceflight at the excellent Space Museum. Best of all, on launch days the public can watch, from viewing sites, the awe-inspiring spectacle of a rocket thundering into the tropical sky, an unforgettable experience.

History

In 1964 French Guiana was chosen as the site of France's spaceport, about 500 kilometres north of the equator at a latitude of 5°, with open sea to the east and north, and the centre has operated since 1968. In 1975 France offered to share Kourou with the European Space Agency, which now pays two thirds of the spaceport's budget and financed the upgrades for the Ariane launchers; the land is managed by CNES, the French space agency, while ESA owns the launch infrastructure (Wikipedia, Guiana Space Centre).

What you'll find

• The launch pads - the sites where rockets lift off.
• The guided tours - the tours of the sprawling spaceport.
• The Space Museum - the exhibits on rockets and spaceflight.
• A live launch - the spectacle of a rocket lift-off, when scheduled.

When to go

Year-round; the space centre and its tours operate throughout the year, and the great highlight is timing a visit to coincide with a scheduled rocket launch, when the public can watch from viewing sites, an unforgettable spectacle. Tours must be booked in advance and require ID.

What to expect

Guided tours must be booked ahead and require identification, and while launches are thrilling, they are scheduled around missions and can be delayed, so catching one takes planning and a little luck. As one of the world's premier spaceports at the edge of the Amazon, offering fascinating tours and, at times, the awe of a live launch, though, the Guiana Space Centre is a genuinely extraordinary attraction.

Nearby

The town of Kourou and the Îles du Salut lie nearby on the coast.

Key facts