Rubis (rocket)

This article is about the French two-stage rocket. For the French ship series, see French ship Rubis. For the storage and distribution company, see Rubis (company).

The VE 210 Rubis (French, meaning ruby) was a French two-stage rocket.^[1]

Military space program pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) that included the five prototypes Agathe, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis and Saphir.

Rubis (VE 210)

A diagram of the Rubis rocket
Manufacturer	SEREB
Country of origin	France
Size
Height	9.60 metres (31.5 ft)
Diameter	0.80 metres (2 ft 7 in)
Mass	4,000 kilograms (8,800 lb)
Stages	2
Associated rockets
Family	Pierres Précieuses ("Precious Stones")
Derivative work	Diamant
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	CIEES/DGA Essais de missiles
Total launches	10
First flight	10 June 1964
Last flight	5 July 1967
First stage – NA801
Powered by	NA801 Mammouth
Maximum thrust	190.00 kilonewtons (42,710 lbf)
Burn time	18 seconds
Propellant	solid
Second stage – P6
Powered by	P064
Maximum thrust	29.40 kilonewtons (6,610 lbf)
Specific impulse	211 seconds
Burn time	45 seconds
Propellant	solid

It was part of the pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) program, that included five prototypes Agathe, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis and Saphir,^[2] leading up to the Diamant orbital rocket.

Its codename, VE210, indicates that it is a "Véhicule Expérimental" (Experimental Vehicle) with 2 stages, using solid propellant (code 1), and not guided (code 0).

The rocket was used to test technologies used in the Diamant, as well as to launch scientific instruments from the Paris Observatory and Max Planck Institute.^[3]

Description

Rubis used an NA801 Mammouth engine (similar to Agate) for its first stage and a P064 engine for its second stage.^[1] The Rubis has a maximum altitude of 2,000 kilometers, a takeoff thrust of 186 kN, a diameter of 0.80 metres (2.6 ft) and a length of 9.60 metres (31.5 ft).

• 
  Rubis at the front left
• 
  Rubis equipment bay
• 
  Rubis payload

Launches

The Rubis was launched eleven times from 10 June 1964 to 5 July 1967.^[1] All Rubis rockets were launched from CIEES at Hammaguir, French Algeria, with the exception of the last launch, which took place from DGA Essais de missiles, Biscarosse.^[1]

Number	Date	Result	Launch site	Payload
1	10 Jun 1964	Success	CIEES	Research flight
2	12 Jun 1964	Success	CIEES	Research flight
3	12 Oct 1964	Stage separation failure	CIEES	Research flight
4	18 Dec 1964	Stage separation failure	CIEES	Research flight
5	31 May 1965	Success	CIEES	A-1 capsule 1 (Asterix prototype)
6	3 Jun 1965	Success	CIEES	A-1 capsule 2 (Asterix prototype)
7	5 Jun 1965	Success	CIEES	Rubis 01/D-1
8	30 Sep 1965	Success	CIEES	Rubis 02
9	22 Apr 1966	Success	CIEES	Rubis 03/MPE Ba-17
10	5 Jul 1967	Success	DGA Essais de missiles	Rubis 04