ELA-4

ELA-4 () is a launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana supporting launches of the Ariane 6 program. ELA-4 is located along the Route de l'Espace in the Roche Christine site, between the ELA-3 and ELS launch facilities. The complex is composed of a launch pad with mobile gantry, an horizontal assembly building and a dedicated launch operations building.

History CNES was responsible for the construction of the Ariane 6 ground segments including the new launch pad. Earthworks on the launch site began at the end of June 2015 and was completed at the start of 2016. Four platforms were levelled to accommodate the launch pad, the liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks and the assembly building. Civil engineering works on the flame trench and other buildings began in the summer of 2016 and ended in 2019. The launch facility was inaugurated on 28 September 2021 in presence of most of the 600 workers employed at the site, 75% of which recruited locally.

Launch statistics

No.DateTime (UTC)Launch vehicleConfigurationPayloadResultRemarks19 July 202419:00Ariane 6Ariane 62 Block 1Multiple ridesharesMaiden flight of Ariane 6 and first launch from ELA-4. Launch was successful but deorbit burn failed, jeopardizing two reentry payloads.26 March 202516:24Ariane 6Ariane 62 Block 1CSO-3First commercial Ariane 6 flight and first completely successful Ariane 6 flight.313 August 202500:37Ariane 6Ariane 62 Block 1MetOp-SG-A1/Sentinel-5APart of the MetOp-SG series of weather satellites and the Copernicus Programme series of earth observation satellites. First Sentinel launch from an Ariane rocket and from ELA-4.44 November 202521:02Ariane 6Ariane 62 Block 1Sentinel-1DPart of the Copernicus Programme series of earth observation satellites.517 December 202505:01Ariane 6Ariane 62 Block 1Galileo FOC FM 33 & 34Part of the Galileo satellite navigation system. First Galileo launch on Ariane 6.612 February 202616:45Ariane 6Ariane 64 Block 1LeoSat LE-01Maiden flight of Ariane 64. First of eighteen Ariane 6 launches supporting the Amazon Leo megaconstellation.730 April 202608:57Ariane 6Ariane 64 Block 1LeoSat LE-02817 June 202612:21Ariane 6Ariane 64 Block 2LeoSat LE-03927 August 202620:11Ariane 6Ariane 62 Block 1MTG-I2

Upcoming launches Date & Time (UTC)Launch vehiclePayloadOctober 2026Ariane 64 Block 2LeoSat LE-04November 2026Ariane 62 Block 1MetOp-SG B1December 2026Ariane 62 Block 1Galileo FOC FM 28 & 31

Gallery

ELA-4

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