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alternate location for French/European spaceport



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 26th 10, 03:32 AM posted to sci.space.history
Yofie
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Default alternate location for French/European spaceport

If the French space agency (when looking for a new site for their
spaceport in the mid-1960s to get away from their existing site in
Algeria) had not chosen French Guiana in which to put the new
spaceport, would it have chosen present-day Suriname or Guyana (given
similar geographies to French Guiana)? For more reference, see the
following page from the French space agency:
http://www.cnes-csg.fr/web/CNES-CSG-...nch-guiana.php.
  #3  
Old October 26th 10, 03:32 PM posted to sci.space.history
Yofie
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Default alternate location for French/European spaceport

On 26 oct, 00:29, Dan Birchall wrote:
(Yofie) wrote:
*If the French space agency (when looking for a new site for their
*spaceport in the mid-1960s to get away from their existing site in
*Algeria) had not chosen French Guiana in which to put the new
*spaceport, would it have chosen present-day Suriname or Guyana (given
*similar geographies to French Guiana)? *


The collapse of the European colonial empires was certainly poorly
timed for the space race - lots of equatorial territories suddenly
becoming independent, and all that.

Given that Suriname was a Dutch colony and Guyana a British one, I
don't think either would be a good choice for a French spaceport.
If French Guiana were unavailable, one of France's other overseas
"departements" might have been a better choice - perhaps Reunion,
or somewhere in French Polynesia?

If it were something more pan-European like the ESA, though, plenty
more options would open up, including the two you gave.

--
djb@ | Dan Birchall - Observation System Associate - Subaru Telescope.
naoj | Views I express are my own, obviously not those of my employer.
.org | Our atmospheric inversion layer keeps silly people below 3000m.


The problem is, other French colonies like Reunion, Guadeloupe, or
French Polynesia are either too small or too mountainous (or both) to
allow for such facilities. Besides which, the French did investigate
some sites in non-French areas like Brazil, Australia, Sri Lanka,
Trinidad, and Somalia.
  #5  
Old October 27th 10, 02:09 PM posted to sci.space.history
Yofie
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Default alternate location for French/European spaceport

On 26 oct, 21:40, Dan Birchall wrote:
(Yofie) wrote:
*On 26 oct, 00:29, Dan Birchall wrote:
Given that Suriname was a Dutch colony and Guyana a British one, I
don't think either would be a good choice for a French spaceport.
If French Guiana were unavailable, one of France's other overseas
"departements" might have been a better choice - perhaps Reunion,
or somewhere in French Polynesia?


*The problem is, other French colonies like Reunion, Guadeloupe, or
*French Polynesia are either too small or too mountainous (or both) to
*allow for such facilities. *Besides which, the French did investigate
*some sites in non-French areas like Brazil, Australia, Sri Lanka,
*Trinidad, and Somalia.


Somalia, interesting. *You know about Italy's Luigi Broglio Space Centre
off the coast of Kenya, right? *

--
djb@ | Dan Birchall - Observation System Associate - Subaru Telescope.
naoj | Views I express are my own, obviously not those of my employer.
.org | I only wear black so much because I can't find anything darker.


I do know about Italy setting up shop like that in Kenya. Similarly,
why not France setting up a space centre at that general time in
present-day Guyana or Surinam (e.g. if French Guiana is a part of
Brazil)?
  #6  
Old October 27th 10, 10:05 PM posted to sci.space.history
Dr J R Stockton[_86_]
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Default alternate location for French/European spaceport

In sci.space.history message ,
Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:29:59, Dan Birchall
posted:

Given that Suriname was a Dutch colony and Guyana a British one, I
don't think either would be a good choice for a French spaceport.
If French Guiana were unavailable, one of France's other overseas
"departements" might have been a better choice - perhaps Reunion,
or somewhere in French Polynesia?


Ideally, Brazil would make the Mouths of the Amazon area over to the UN
for spaceport purposes, with the UN undertaking to lease out areas to
nations and to companies on appropriate terms and provide for both those
resident people and business who wanted to remain and for those needing
to move in order to remain 100% Brazilian.

Leases would be not only for launching and preparation areas proper, but
also for infrastructure - residences, hospitals, schools, transport, and
all that is found in towns.

The USA would probably not want to participate. But, if they promised
to name it "The Fidel & Raul Castro Spaceport" and made a few promises
of good behaviour and of employing locals, they might be able to lease
an Eastern part of Guantánamo Province,

--
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http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/ TP/BP/Delphi/&c., FAQqy topics & links;
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  #7  
Old October 29th 10, 09:07 PM posted to sci.space.history
Fevric J. Glandules
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Default alternate location for French/European spaceport

Yofie wrote:

[French Guiana]

The problem is, other French colonies like Reunion, Guadeloupe, or


pedant
They are integral parts of the Republic.
/

  #8  
Old October 31st 10, 01:48 AM posted to sci.space.history
Yofie
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Posts: 7
Default alternate location for French/European spaceport

On Oct 29, 4:07*pm, "Fevric J. Glandules"
wrote:
Yofie wrote:

[French Guiana]



The problem is, other French colonies like Reunion, Guadeloupe, or


pedant
They are integral parts of the Republic.
/


That's quite correct, but I think being an integral part of the French
Republic was secondary in determining a spaceport site compared to
launching ability on the equator and other physical/environmental
factors.
 




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