CNES has issued a call for the development of standardized ground systems that would allow a single launch pad to be used by multiple rockets.
The Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana is owned by the French government and is operated by CNES. In early 2021, the agency announced that it planned to revamp the space centre’s old Diamant launch facility to host a number of commercial micro and mini-launch providers. In July 2022, Avio, HyImpulse, Isar Aerospace, MaiaSpace, PLD Space, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and Latitude were pre-selected to operate from the new facility.
Launch facilities and launch pads in particular are generally specifically built for a single rocket. This will, however, not be the case with the Guiana Space Centre’s new commercial launch facility. As a result, a set of standardized ground systems will be utilized to ensure that the facility can manage a number of different rockets.
The Multi-launcher Launch Assembly initiative is being managed under the Ground Development Sub-Directorate of the CNES Space Transportation Directorate. On 14 September, the sub-directorate published a call for an initial six-month “co-activity study” to determine what ground systems can be shared by different launchers and how best to implement those systems.
At this early stage, the study will examine the simplest implementation possible, developing ground systems that could accommodate two launchers on a single launch pad.
In June 2024, ESA director of space transportation Toni Tolker-Nielsen revealed that the launch provider most likely to first utilize the new commercial launch facility would be Spain’s PLD Space. According to PLD Space, it plans to begin construction of specific infrastructure at the facility later this year. Following that, the ArianeGroup subsidiary MaiaSpace will likely be the second to utalize the facility.
