To the outer orbit: Launch sites around the globe

The space race has become a crowded competition, with players around the world setting up launch sites to propel satellites, astronauts and eventually tourists into space.

U.S.-based Maritime Launch Services on Tuesday said it plans to build a rocket spaceport near Canso, N.S. The facility will be used to launch commercial satellites into space. The U.K. in February also announced plans to build a spaceport for rocket and satellite launches by 2020.

Here's a look at other spaceports around the world, from French Guiana to Kazakhstan.

Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana

This facility is used by the European Space Agency and the French government for satellite launches. The site is prized for its position, given that the region is not at risk of earthquakes or cyclones and the country is very sparsely populated.

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

The U.S. began launching rockets from its Cape Canaveral base in 1950. Since then, the site has been the hub of the U.S. space program and is still NASA's primary launch site. It was also the historic site where the Freedom 7 spacecraft was launched, carrying Alan Shepard, the first American to travel in space, in 1961.

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

The Baikonur facility was built in 1957 to support Russian space missions. The cosmodrome now is used primarily to send astronauts to the International Space Station. Baikonur is the site where Sputnik 1 — the first successful space launch — took flight in 1957.

Mojave Air and Space Port, Calif.

Virgin Galactic is testing its SpaceShipTwo at the Mojave Air and Space Port. The company, founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, plans on building a fleet to carry passengers to suborbital space.

Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India

India sent a record 104 satellites into orbit from a single rocket launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in February 2017. The feat was considered a victory for the country's young space program.