Diamant

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For other uses, see Diamant (disambiguation).

The Diamant rocket (diamant is French for "diamond") was the first exclusively French expendable launch system and at the same time the first satellite launcher not built by either USA or USSR. As such it is the main predecessor of all subsequent European launcher projects.
It was derived from the military program Pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) that included the five prototypes Agathe, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis et Saphir (Agate, Topaz, Emerald, Ruby and Sapphire). Out of 12 launch attempts between 1965 and 1975, 9 were successful. Most notably it was used to put Astérix, the first French satellite, into orbit on November 26, 1965. Despite the success France stopped its national launcher program in favor of the European Ariane launcher in 1975.
Three successive versions of the Diamant rocket were developed, designated A, B and BP4. All versions had three stages and a payload of approximately 150kg for a 200km orbit.

Contents 1 Diamant A 2 Diamant B 3 Diamant BP4 4 Launch list 5 External links

[edit] Diamant A

This was the first version of the Diamant rocket. It was used to launch the Astérix and subsequently three other small satellites during 1965-67 from the base at Hammaguir in Algeria. Remarkably for a newly developed system, all four attempted launched were partly successful, the only failure occurring on the second launch when the payload was inserted into a lower orbit than planned. It possessed a first stage of 10 m, 1.4 meters in diameter, and a weight of 14.7 metric tons. Their engines of the type LRBA Vexin supplied a thrust of 269 kN for 93 seconds. The second stage was 4.7 meters long and had a diameter of 80 centimeters. It weighed 2.9 metric tons and developed a thrust of 165 kN for a duration of 44 seconds. The third stage of 2.65 m in diameter. Its weight amounted to 709 kilograms. It burned for 45 seconds and developed a thrust of 27 kN to 53 kN. Completely installed, a Diamond A was 18.95 meters high and weighed 18.4 metric tons.

[edit] Diamant B

An improved version of the Diamant A with a more powerful first stage. Five satellite launches were attempted between 1970 and 1973, of which the last two failed. All launches took place from Kourou in French Guyana, which thus became established as the sole French and European spaceport, a status that it still holds today (2006).

Its first stage was 14.2 meters long, had a diameter of 1.4 meters and weighed 20.1 metric tons. Its engine developed a thrust of 316 kN to 400 kN (as a function of the flight altitude) for 116 seconds. The second stage the Diamond B corresponded to that the Diamond A. The third stage was 1.67 meters long and had a diameter of 80 centimeters. It developed a thrust of 24 kN for 46 seconds. Completely assembled a Diamond B was 23.5 meters high and weighed 24.6 metric tons.

[edit] Diamant BP4

This version incorporated a new second stage, while carrying the first and third stages over from its predecessor. It performed three successful launches in 1975, putting a total of four satellites into orbit. Its second stage, which was derived from the MSBS rocket, was 2.28 meters long and 1.5 meters in diameter and developed a thrust of 180 kN for 55 seconds.

[edit] Launch list

Date	Type	Launch Site	Payload	Remarks
November 26, 1965	Diamant A	Hammaguir	Asterix
February 17, 1966	Diamant A	Hammaguir	Diapason
February 8, 1967	Diamant A	Hammaguir	Diadème 1	partial failure, orbit too low
February 15, 1967	Diamant A	Hammaguir	Diadème 2
March 10, 1970	Diamant B	Kourou	Mika/Wika
December 12, 1970	Diamant B	Kourou	Péole
April 15, 1971	Diamant B	Kourou	Tournesol
December 6, 1971	Diamant B	Kourou	Polaire	second stage failed
May 21, 1972	Diamant B	Kourou	Castor/Pollux	fairing not separated
February 6, 1975	Diamant BP4	Kourou	Starlette
May 17, 1975	Diamant BP4	Kourou	Castor/Pollux
September 27, 1975	Diamant BP4	Kourou	Aura

[edit] External links

• Diamant launchers
• Precious stone (Series of French rockets built in the 1950's-1960's)