2024-09-27 08:38:13
Abandoned by the Russians since March 2022, a few days after the invasion of Ukraine, the launch pad reserved for the Soyuz rocket at the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in Kourou will find a new resident. After launching a call for applications in April, the National Center for Space Sciences (CNES) announced, Wednesday, September 26, that it has chosen the French company MaiaSpace among six candidates who are in the process of sending their minilaunchers there. The contracts cover a period of ten years.
“It’s an important step because it’s good to design a rocket, but it’s not useful if we don’t have a launch pad that fits current and future needs”explained Yohann Leroy, President and CEO of MaiaSpace. This unit of ArianeGroup, created in April 2022, is designing Maia, a rocket which will carry from 500 kilos to 4 tons of payload into low orbit, depending on its configuration, and whose first flight is planned for 2026. The launch pad left by the Russians was able to operate immediately. Of course the developments are important, such as the installation of a gantry corresponding to the Maia road or the development of a methane storage, which will be fueled with liquid oxygen. Investments, estimated at several tens of millions of euros, will include the development of a local biomethane production complex.
New private operators
In ten years, space has completely changed, enhanced by the development of services connected to the Internet and 5G, which requires sending thousands of small satellites into a low orbit, 500 kilometers from Earth. To respond to this, small-rocket projects are increasing – around ten in Europe – such as the creation of space stations to ensure launches, whether in Norway, Sweden or the United Kingdom, without forgetting the projects in Spain and in Germany.
With this in mind, CNES has decided to redevelop its old launch pads on its Kourou site. to meet new private operators. It started with one called “Diamant”, named after the first French inventor – this structure was abandoned and the site was removed fifty years ago. In 2022, a call for applications was launched for its renewal into a multi-launch program. Seven startups have already been selected, including Italy’s Avio, Spain’s PLD Space, Germany’s Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg, HyImpulse Technologies and France’s Latitude and MaiaSpace.
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