Ariane 6

The future Ariane 6 Launch Complex (ELA-4), located at the Guiana Space Centre (CSG), is one of the most ambitious space infrastructure projects undertaken in Europe in recent years. Designed and built under the project ownership of CNES on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA), this ninth launch complex at the CSG and fourth dedicated to the Ariane programme now supports launch operations for the new European launcher.

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Located on a 170-hectare site, 3.5 km from the former Ariane 5 Launch Complex (ELA-3), ELA-4 brings together highly complex technical infrastructure, including the launch pad, mobile gantry, launcher assembly building, water tower and storage facilities for cryogenic propellants (liquid oxygen and hydrogen).

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Carried out over a four-year period, this large-scale construction project brought together nearly 700 employees within the Eclair6 consortium, comprising 46 companies under the leadership of Eiffage Génie Civil. Representing an investment of €600 million, the project demonstrates the teams’ ability to coordinate multidisciplinary expertise and deliver strategic infrastructure meeting the Ariane 6 programme’s requirements for performance, safety and reliability.

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Photo: Ariane 6 launch pad – View of the launch pad under construction © Rémy Decourt