Rubis (rocket)

The VE 210 Rubis (French, meaning ruby) was a French two-stage rocket. It was part of the pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) program, that included five prototypes Agathe, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis and Saphir, 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.

Description
Rubis used an NA801 Mammouth engine (similar to Agate) for its first stage and a P064 engine for its second stage. The Rubis has a maximum altitude of 2,000 kilometers, a takeoff thrust of 186 kN, a diameter of 0.80 m and a length of 9.60 m.

Launches
The Rubis was launched eleven times from 10 June 1964 to 5 July 1967. 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.