Bérénice (rocket)

Bérénice was the designation of a four-stage French atmospheric reentry test rocket, developed by O.N.E.R.A. (Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales).

Description
Bérénice was 13.25 m long, possessed a diameter of 0.56 m and weighed 3340 kg at launch. The takeoff thrust of Bérénice, which could carry a payload of 3340 kg to a height of 1000 km, amounted to 170 kN. The first stage, a SEPR-739 Stromboli, was stabilised by four SEPR-P167 rockets developing 34 kN. The second stage consisted of a SEPR-740 Stromboli, almost identical to the first stage. The third stage was a SEPR-P200 Tramontane and the fourth stage comprised a Mélanie rocket and payload.

Launches
The twelve production rockets, Bérénice 001 to Bérénice 012, were launched by ONERA from Ile du Levant from 1962 to 1966.