Guiana Space Centre ELA-3

Mission Profile

Guiana Space Centre Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 5 (ELA-3) at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana was the operational launch pad for the Ariane 5 rocket from its first launch on 4 June 1996 through Ariane 5's retirement in July 2023. Positioned at 5.2° North latitude, ELA-3's near-equatorial location provides significant performance advantages for geostationary satellite launches, reducing the plane change delta-v required compared to pads at higher latitudes. Over its 27-year operational life, ELA-3 supported 117 Ariane 5 launches with exceptional reliability including deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope in December 2021. The complex is being adapted for potential Vega-E and other future launch vehicles following Ariane 5's retirement.