Donges SteelTec GmbH makes significant contribution to the new Ariane launch facility at the spaceport in Kourou / French Guyana

Darmstadt/Kourou, 18 October 2021

A dedicated launch facility is being built for the latest generation of ESA’s “Ariane 6” launcher at the spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. At the heart of the new launch facility are the launch table, from which the rocket will start, and a supply mast, which will be used to supply the rocket with various media prior to launch.

Both structures are heavy steel constructions, i.e. structures that Donges SteelTec specialises in manufacturing, supplying and assembling.

The launch table is designed as a hollow steel box construction with dimensions of 20.00 m x 18.00 m x 3.80 m. A total of 740 t of steel were used here. The supply mast is square in ground plan with side dimensions of 6.50 m. With an overall height of 60.00 m, the 400 t mast is visible from afar on the launch pad in the sky above Kourou.

All steel components for the launch table and mast were manufactured at the Donges SteelTec GmbH plant in Darmstadt and then transported by sea from Amsterdam to Kourou. After a construction period of almost 3 ½ years, the assembly activities have now also been successfully completed. Now the structures have been handed over to the CNES (Centre National d’ Etudes Spatiales = National Centre for Space Research). The launch of the first Ariane 6 launcher is planned for next year.