The French space agency CNES has officially begun construction of a new multi-user commercial launch facility on the grounds of the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.
In early 2021, CNES announced plans to convert the old Diamant launch site at the Guiana Space Centre into a new multi-user facility for commercial launch providers operating rockets capable of carrying payloads of up to 1,500 kilograms. The site is designed to host up to five launch providers with a combined annual capacity of 40 launches.
The new Multi-Launcher Launch Complex (ELM) will feature both shared resources and dedicated facilities allocated to each operator. The construction of the shared resources is being led by CNES as part of a €50 million project funded through the France 2030 programme. The user-specific dedicated facilities will be the responsibility of the individual launch providers.
Work on the site began in 2020 with the dismantling of the old Diamant launch infrastructure. The agency then launched technical and environmental studies in 2022 and a public consultation process in early 2025. According to a statement, initial construction began in the summer of this year. However, on 17 September, CNES held a ceremonial “laying of the first stone” to symbolically mark the start of construction, a purely symbolic process that did not contribute to the site’s actual infrastructure.
The ceremonial event was attended by CNES officials, local authorities, and representatives from a number of the site’s expected operators. To date, Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg, Latitude, and PLD Space have all signed an initial feasibility agreement, committing to operate their respective rockets from the facility for a minimum of ten years. PLD Space is the only company to have also signed a temporary occupancy agreement and development contract, allowing the company to begin construction of its dedicated facilities.
According to an 18 September press release, PLD Space has already begun civil works on the grounds of its dedicated section of the facility and is maintaining a permanent team in French Guiana to oversee the work. The company will likely be the first to use the facility, with its inaugural MIURA 5 launch expected in 2026. According to a CNES statement, development of the shared resources is scheduled to be completed by 2026, leaving little room for potential delays.
CNES has officially begun construction of its new multi-user launch facility in French Guiana, marked by a “laying of the first stone” ceremony.