Russian Infrastructure Dismantled at Guiana Space Centre to Make Way for European Rockets

MaiaSpace has started dismantling the former launch complex used for Russian Soyuz-ST rockets at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.

This is part of preparations for launching its own two-stage Maia rocket, as previously reported by European Spaceflight. The demolition of the service tower was reported by the Russian Telegram community Zakrytyy kosmos.

Previously, workers had already cut the four support structures that held the rocket before launch, along with the cable masts.

The site had remained unused since 2022, after the European Space Agency ended its cooperation with Russia.

The company has already secured a new customer – Eutelsat – to launch communication satellites for the OneWebconstellation into orbit. The rocket’s first full flight and the start of commercial missions are scheduled for 2027.

The upgrade project will reuse about 80% of the existing infrastructure, including assembly buildings, fuel storage facilities, and rail tracks. Total investment is expected to be limited to several tens of millions of euros.

Before the first full launch in 2027, MaiaSpace will carry out a suborbital test flight to validate the rocket’s flight phases. The plan also calls for the first rocket to be placed vertically on the launch pad for ground testing by the end of 2026.