February 27, 2023
Launchers
The Guiana Space Centre (GSC) currently has four launchers: three in operation (Ariane 5, Vega and Vega-C), one under development (Ariane 6).
Operational launchers
Ariane 5
Ariane 5, the spearhead of the European space programme, has been launched from the GSC since 1996. Scalable and capable of carrying up to 21 tonnes into low Earth orbit, Ariane 5 is suitable for all types of mission, from geostationary communications satellites to the distant orbits of probes exploring the universe
Vega
Europe’s light launcher, Vega is particularly well suited for missions targeting polar or low Earth orbits, such as Earth observation satellites.
Vega-C
The successor to Vega for launching lightweight satellites, Vega C shares some common components with Ariane 6.
Launchers under development
Ariane 6
Ariane 6, the latest addition to the Ariane family, is flexible, and can be adapted to payload capacities and target orbits.