ELA-1

ELA-1

ELA-1

Launch pad at the Centre Spatial Guyanais

ELA-1, short for Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 1 (French for Ariane Launch Area 1), now named Ensemble de Lancement Vega (short ELV), is a launch pad at the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana. It has been used to support launches of the Europa rocket, Ariane 1, Ariane 3, and is currently used to launch Vega rockets.[1]

Quick Facts Launch site, Location ...

History

Europa (BEC)

ELA-1, at the time designated Base Équatoriale du CECLES (BEC) was constructed as an equatorial launch site for the Europa-II rocket which was being built as part of the ELDO programme. The first launch occurred on 5 November 1971. This was the only flight of the Europa-II, which ended in failure due to a guidance problem. The launch site was mothballed, and later demolished.

Ariane (ELA)

When the Ariane 1 programme was started, to replace the failed ELDO programme, a new launch site was built on the site of the former CECLES pad. This was designated Ensemble de Lancement Ariane (ELA). The first Ariane 1 launch occurred on 24 December 1979. ELA was also used by Ariane 2 and Ariane 3 rockets, which first flew on 31 May 1986 and 4 August 1984 respectively. ELA was redesignated ELA-1 when the Ariane 4 entered service in 1988, as this launched from a separate launch pad, designated ELA-2. The Ariane 1 was retired on 22 February 1986, the Ariane 2 on 2 April 1989, and the Ariane 3 on 12 July 1989. ELA was subsequently demolished.

Vega (ELV)

In November 2001, started the redevelopment of the pad to accommodate the Vega rocket and the ELA-1 was redesignated Ensemble de Lancement Vega (ELV).[2] The reconstruction retained the Ariane 1 flame trench and added a new 50 m tall retractable vertical assembly building to cover the rocket during the preparation, four lighting protection masts and a new launch tower for the rocket. The launchpad is sometimes also designated as Site de Lancement Vega (SLV) and Zone de Lancement Vega (ZLV). Vega made its first launch from the complex on 13 February 2012.

Launch History

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Situation on 10 October 2023

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Operations". Arianespace. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  2. [2]
    "BEC, ELA, ELV, d'EUROPA à VEGA". Capcomespace. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  3. [3]
    "Europa". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  4. [4]
    "Ariane 1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  5. [5]
    "Kourou ELA 1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  6. [6]
    "Ariane 3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  7. [7]
    Harvey, Brian (14 February 2003). "List of European space launchings". Europe's Space Programme: To Ariane and Beyond. Book Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 358–361. ISBN 978-1-852-33722-3.
  8. [8]
    "Kourou ELA-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  9. [9]
    "Ariane 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  10. [10]
    "Vega Milestones". Arianespace. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  11. [11]
    Atkinson, Ian (13 July 2022). "ESA launches upgraded Vega-C rocket on first mission". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  12. [12]
    Clark, Stephen (21 December 2022). "Two Pléiades Neo Earth-imaging satellites lost in failure of Europe's Vega C rocket". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  13. [13]
    "Flight VV23: success to the benefit of Thaland, Taiwan and cubesats". Arianespace (Press release). 9 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
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