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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Topaze (Véhicule Expérimental 111 Topaze) is the designation of a French sounding rocket.[1] The Topaze was developed by several French companies, notably Nord Aviation and Sud Aviation,[2] and built by SEREB (a joint venture of Nord and Sud, now known as Aérospatiale) and was the first guidable French sounding rocket.
Function | Sounding rocket |
---|---|
Manufacturer | SEREB |
Country of origin | France |
Size | |
Height | VE111C: 7.07 metres (23.2 ft) VE111L: 7.90 metres (25.9 ft) |
Mass | VE111C: 2,900 kilograms (6,400 lb) VE111L: 3,434 kilograms (7,571 lb) |
Stages | 1 |
Associated rockets | |
Derivative work | Saphir, Diamant |
Launch history | |
Status | Retired |
Launch sites | CIEES |
Total launches | 14 |
First flight | 19 December 1962 |
Last flight | 1965 |
VE111C stage | |
Powered by | NA802 |
Maximum thrust | 120 kilonewtons (27,000 lbf) |
Propellant | Solid |
VE111L / VE111LG stage | |
Powered by | NA803 |
Maximum thrust | 147 kilonewtons (33,000 lbf) |
Propellant | Solid |
It was part of the Pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) program, that included five prototypes Agathe, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis and Saphir,[3] leading up to the Diamant orbital rocket.
The name indicates that it is a "Véhicule Expérimental" (Experimental Vehicle) with 1 stage, using solid propulsion (code 1), and guided (code 1).
The Topaze was launched 14 times from the CIEES launch site in Hammaguir (Hammaguira Bacchus pad), Algeria, by ONERA.[4]
There were three versions of the Topaze:[4][1]
There were launches between 1962 and 1964, reaching an apogee of 80 km (49 mi).[1][5]
Date | Mission Description | Apogee (km) |
---|---|---|
1962 December 19 | Test mission | 80 |
1963 March 22 | Test mission | 80 |
1963 March 28 | Test mission | 80 |
1963 June 21 | Test mission | 80 |
1963 June 27 | Test mission | 80 |
1963 October 24 | Test mission | 80 |
1964 June 4 | MSBS test, failure | |
1964 October 21 | MSBS test | 80 |
1964 December 11 | MSBS test | 80 |
1964 December 15 | MSBS test | 80 |
Date | Mission Description | Apogee (km) |
---|---|---|
1963 December 21 | Test mission | 110 km |
1964 March 11 | Test mission | 110 km |
This version was launched two times in 1965.[1][5]
Date | Mission Description | Apogee (km) |
---|---|---|
1965 May 18 | Test mission | 100 km |
1965 May 21 | Test mission | 100 km |
The Topaze was also used as the second stage of the Diamant rocket, the launch vehicle for France's first satellite, the Asterix-1, and the Saphir rocket.[5][3][10]
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