July 7, 2008—An Ariane 5 ECA rocket leaves a trail of smoke in the evening sky as it roars away from the European Space Agency's Guyanais Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.

The rocket successfully sent the communications satellites ProtoStar I and BADR-6 into orbit about 30 minutes after liftoff.

ESA selected the South American city of Kourou as a spaceport because of its proximity to the Equator and its small population.

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