MOSCOW. Feb 19 (Interfax-AVN) - The European Space Agency is expected to reach a decision in spring on the use of the Kourou space center in French Guyana to launch Russian Soyuz launch vehicles, French Ambassador to Russia Claude Blanchemaison said on Tuesday.
The diplomat stressed "France supports this project, as it is convinced that it will be profitable" for all participants.
Speaking on the radio station Mayak-24 on Tuesday, the ambassador expressed certainty that "everything will be done to ensure that the project is implemented at a price that is profitable for Russia."
The project to build a launch complex for Russian Soyuz rockets at the Kourou has been discussed since 1999.
At the moment there are two launch complexes at the center - for Arianne-4 and Arianne-5 launch vehicles.
According to experts, the cost of launching these rockets amounts to about USD80m, while the launch of satellites using Soyuz rockets will cost about USD30m.