Diane S-band station by europeanspaceagency on Flickr.A través de Flickr: ESA’s Kourou Diane S-band station, also known as Kourou 93, located about 5 km West from the Ariane launch complexes (ELAs) of Europe’s Spaceport, near the city of Kourou, French Guiana. The Kourou Diane station, which features a 14.5-m-diameter antenna, is part of ESA’s network of ground stations operated by the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. It provides S-band telemetry, tracking and command support during the launch and early operations phase (LEOP) of ESA spacecraft missions. Due to its location close to the Equator launches from Europe’s Spaceport benefit from the ‘slingshot effect’ caused by the Earth’s spin that increase the payload capability of launchers. Moreover, a wide opening on the Atlantic Ocean provides direct access to all kinds of orbit, from near equatorial to Sun synchronous, with a network of downrange tracking stations. For further information, please visit: www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM1PDSMTWE_0.html Credits: ESA–S. Corvaja
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Diane S-band station by europeanspaceagency on Flickr.

A través de Flickr:
ESA’s Kourou Diane S-band station, also known as Kourou 93, located about 5 km West from the Ariane launch complexes (ELAs) of Europe’s Spaceport, near the city of Kourou, French Guiana.

The Kourou Diane station, which features a 14.5-m-diameter antenna, is part of ESA’s network of ground stations operated by the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. It provides S-band telemetry, tracking and command
support during the launch and early operations phase (LEOP) of ESA spacecraft missions.

Due to its location close to the Equator launches from Europe’s Spaceport benefit from the ‘slingshot effect’ caused by the Earth’s spin that increase the payload capability of launchers. Moreover, a wide opening on the Atlantic Ocean provides direct access to all kinds of orbit, from near equatorial to Sun synchronous, with a network of downrange tracking stations.

For further information, please visit: www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM1PDSMTWE_0.html

Credits: ESA–S. Corvaja