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> Aerial view of the Guiana space center

Aerial view of the Guiana space center

author: ESA/S.Corvaja/Novapix

reference: e-leu10-00004

Image Size 300 DPI: 17 * 25 cm

Aerial view of the old Ariane Launch Complex no.1 (ELA-1) at the Guiana Space Center (CSG), Europe's space port. This launch pad was built in the late 1960s for the Europa 2 launcher and modified in 1975-79 to accommodate Ariane 1 vehicles. The very first Ariane was launched from here on December 24, 1979. The ELA-1 was deactivated in 1989 after 27 launches and its 70-m-tall service gantry was scrapped in 1991. The ELA-1 is now being refurbished for ESA's Vega vehicles. Just behind ELA-1 is the service tower of the ELA-2 Launch Zone (ZL-2) which was deactivated in 2003 after 119 launches including 116 of Ariane 4. Further in the background on the left are the S3 Payload Processing Facility (EPCU), the ELA-3 Launcher Integration Building (BIL) where Ariane 5 launchers are stacked and the Guiana Propellant Plant (UPG) where the two largest segments of Ariane 5 Sold Booster Stages (EAPs) are loaded with solid propellant. On the right, behind ZL-2 and aligned on the rail track are the Stage Storage Building, where EAPs are stored until the beginning of launch campaigns, and the Booster Integration Building (BIP), where EAPs are integrated.

Keywords for this photo:

ELA-1 - FRENCH GUIANA - GUIANA SPACE CENTER - KOUROU - LAUNCH PAD - SPACE CENTER -