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Feature story

The European Space Agency's Director General visits French Guiana

May 19, 2009

Jean-Jacques Dordain, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Director General, was at the Spaceport for Ariane 5’s successful launch of his agency’s Herschel and Planck spacecraft on May 14, and also used the opportunity to be updated on preparations to expand Arianespace’s commercial launcher family.

ESA is the design authority for Ariane launchers, and it entrusts their commercialization, production and operation to Arianespace.  In addition, the agency is responsible for development of the Spaceport's launch infrastructure.

While in French Guiana, Dordain toured the new launch facilities for Soyuz and Vega, accompanied by Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall, as well as other European space industry managers and officials.

The new Soyuz facility is well advanced in its construction, with its system of support arms and other ground infrastructure elements already in place.  One of the remaining major steps will be the installation of a mobile gantry, which is to be used for payload integration while the medium-lift launcher is in the vertical position on the launch pad.

Dordain also viewed the on-going preparations at the Spaceport’s Vega launch site – which previously was used for Ariane 1 and 3 vehicles, and is now being updated and upgraded for the new lightweight launcher.