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Arianespace

Arianespace is the world's first commercial launch services company, founded in 1980 and headquartered in Évry, France.

Évry, France Est. 1980 Commercial
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Quick Facts
Country
France
Founded
1980
Type
commercial
Status
operational

About Arianespace

Arianespace is the world's first commercial launch services company, founded in 1980 and headquartered in Évry, France. The company provides launch services for commercial, institutional, and government customers from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana. Ariane 5 (now retired after its final launch in July 2023) flew 117 missions over 27 years, establishing itself as the most commercially successful heavy-lift rocket of its era. Ariane 6, its successor with two configurations (A62 two-strap-on, A64 four-strap-on), conducted its inaugural flight in July 2024 after years of delays, restoring Europe's autonomous heavy-lift access to space. Vega-C, the light-lift vehicle, suffered a launch failure in December 2022 and returned to flight in 2024 with improved upper-stage hardware. Arianespace suspended Soyuz launches in March 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The company is majority-owned by ArianeGroup (with shareholders including Airbus and Safran) and CNES.

Key People

Stéphane Israël (CEO)

Categories & Capabilities

Industry Categories

Vehicle Types

Heavy Lift Medium Lift Small Lift

Propulsion Systems

Liquid Hydrogen Solid Fuel

Location

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Frequently asked about Arianespace

Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.

When was Arianespace founded?
Arianespace was founded in 1980 in France.
Where is Arianespace headquartered?
Arianespace is headquartered in Évry, France.
What does Arianespace do?
Arianespace is the world's first commercial launch services company, founded in 1980 and headquartered in Évry, France. The company provides launch services for commercial, institutional, and government customers from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana. Ariane 5 (now retired after its final launch i…
Is Arianespace a public or private company?
Arianespace is currently a private commercial (status: operational).
What sector does Arianespace operate in?
Arianespace operates in launch-services.

Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Arianespace is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.

Last updated: June 30, 2026
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