Ariane 5 launch site

Europe's Spaceport is located in Kourou, in the northeast of South America in French Guiana.

Its proximity to the Equator allows launchers to make efficient use of the Earth’s rotation. The site also has direct access to the sea from the East and North, making it suitable for launches into Polar , Geostationary transfer and Sun-Synchronous Orbits.

The launch base includes the Ariane,Vega and Soyuz launch complexes as well as payload preparation facilities, tracking and telemetry systems, and meteorological facilities. It extends along a 30 km stretch of coast.