The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
Aerial view of a part of the ELA-3 Launch complex.
Front: Booster Storage Building (BSE)) built in 1999 to accommodate the increase in the Ariane-5 launch rate.
Background: on the left the Launcher Integration Building on the right the Final Assembly Buiding (BAF).
The Ariane-5 ground installations (Ensemble N°3 de Lancement Ariane - ELA-3) which have been entirely financed by the European Space Agency, are constituted of four main areas.
Corresponding to the launch vehicle's concept, they have been built to streamline launch operations, to allow for further growth and to respect all the safety constraints.
The four main areas are:
- the solid-propellant Booster Integration Building
- the Launcher Integration Building (BIL)
- the Final Assembly Building (BAF)
- the launch zone