Guyane L'Espace
Decollage du lanceur Ariane 5 GS, vol 193, le 18 décembre 2009 depuis le Centre spatial guyanais. Le lanceur a place en orbite la satellite militaire Helios 2B.
Loose Translation:
Guiana Space
Liftoff of the Ariane 5 GS launcher, vol 193, 18 December 2009 from the Guiana Space Center. The launcher placed in orbit military satellite Helios 2B.
CNES / ESA / Arianespace / Photo Service Optique Video CSG, 2009
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The Guiana Space Centre or, more commonly, Centre spatial guyanais (CSG) is a French and European spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana. Operational since 1968, it is particularly suitable as a location for a spaceport as it fulfills the two major geographical requirements of such a site:
-- it is quite close to the equator, so that the spinning earth can impart some extra velocity to the rockets for free when launched eastward, and
-- it has uninhabited territory (in this case, open sea) to the east, so that lower stages of rockets and debris from launch failures cannot fall on human habitations.
