Unveiling the Space Miracle of Kourou, French Guiana: The Guiana Space Centre

In the 1960s, French scientists faced a thorny problem. At that time, Algeria had just won independence and showed little interest in continuing to serve as the site of France's emerging spaceport, causing France to lose its launch platform. They urgently needed a location free from earthquakes and hurricanes, close to the equator to utilize the "slingshot effect" of Earth's rotation for additional energy, and near the ocean to minimize the risk of debris falling in densely populated areas. Eventually, they found the ideal location in French Guiana on the northern coast of South America, situated just 5 degrees north of the equator. On April 9, 1968, France launched its first rocket "Véronique" from here, beginning a glorious space journey. Since then, more than 300 rockets have been launched, including those carrying research probes to various planets and the James Webb Space Telescope.

The Guiana Space Centre is located between the towns of Kourou and Sinnamary in French Guiana, covering an area of 660 square kilometers with more than ten comprehensive facilities and employing 1,400 permanent staff members. Currently, it launches two types of rockets: Vega-C and Ariane 6. Rocket launches can be seen from Cayenne, but the best viewing point is a small hill on the outskirts of Kourou.

The Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, with its advantageous geographical location and continuously developing space launch capabilities, has become an important base in the global aerospace field. It not only carries France's space dreams but also provides an important platform for international space cooperation. With continuous advances in space technology, this space centre is expected to continue creating more miracles and propel humanity's exploration of the universe to new heights.

This article is auto-translated by AI.