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Over 70 licensed launch facilities now operate globally — 20 commissioned since 2020.
| Attribute | Guiana Space Centre 🇫🇷 France Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center 🇨🇳 China Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | ESA / CNES | CNSA / PLA Strategic Support Force |
| Ownership | International Consortium | Military |
| Region | 🇫🇷 France | 🇨🇳 China |
| Launch pads | 3 (ELA-4 Ariane 6, ZLV Vega-C, ELS Soyuz-retired 2022)as of [1] | 4 active (SLS-1, SLS-2 Long March 2C/4; LC-43 crewed Shenzhou; LC-43/921 Long March 2F)as of [1] ↑ Most pads |
| Annual launches | 4–8as of [1]Ariane 6 cadence ramping post-2024 return-to-flight; Vega-C return TBD | ~20as of [1] |
| Max payload (LEO) | 10,735 kg to GTO (Ariane 6.4, dual-payload)as of [2] ↑ Highest capacity | 8,500 kg to LEO (Long March 2F)as of [1] |
| First operational launch | 1968-04-09as of [1]First Véronique sounding rocket; first orbital launch 1979-12-24 (Ariane 1, CAT-01) | 1970-04-24as of [1]Dong Fang Hong 1 — China's first satellite; first orbital launch from Jiuquan |
| Regulatory regime | ESA Convention + French Space Operations Act (LOS, 2008) under CNES oversight | Chinese State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) |
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