Guiana Space Center indefinitely suspended all launch campaigns at the facility because of COVID-19. This move was done to implement the measures of the French government.
Launch campaigns at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension follows the directive of the French government. This directive states that non-essential activities should be limited. The next launch was for France-based Arianespace towards the end of March. But, given the circumstances, the Vega rocket set to launch satellites into low-Earth orbit has been suspended.
Protect health of employees
“These launch preparations will resume as soon as allowed by health conditions,” Arianespace said in a statement. “This exceptional measure is designed to protect the health of employees and the local population. Also, it is maintaining the security needed to prepare for scheduled launches. Arianespace, French space agency CNES and all companies involved in French Guiana are currently overseeing operations to place launchers and satellites in safe standby condition, in line with standard procedures.” Another mission that could be affected by the suspension is the Soyuz rocket launch in April. This one is set to launch the Falcon Eye 2 military surveillance satellite for the United Arab Emirates.
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Guiana Space Center Indefinite Suspension
Guiana Space Center is located in French Guiana on the northeastern coast of South America. It’s the home base for Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega rockets. It is run by France as well as the European Space Agency, which also provides a significant part of its budget. The measures taken by the French government come as the country reports 5,423 confirmed cases and 127 deaths. As such, France has imposed a near-total lockdown, with President Emmanuel Macron urging the citizens to stay at home for at least fifteen days. So far it’s unclear how long Guiana Space Center will suspend launches. However, the indefinite suspension could significantly affect the launches planned for this year, including the 22 launches Arianespace had planned for 2020.
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Coronavirus Affecting Space Industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has so far affected the space industry in various ways. NASA, for instance, has had to implement work-from-home orders at the Ames Research Center in California as well as the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama after two employees tested positive for the virus. All other NASA facilities have also been placed under Stage 2 of NASA’s Response Framework as an extra precaution.
