Topaze (rocket)

Topaze (Véhicule Expérimental 111 Topaze) is the designation of a French sounding rocket. The Topaze was developed by several French companies, notably Nord Aviation and Sud Aviation, and built by SEREB (a joint venture of Nord and Sud, now known as Aérospatiale) and was the first guidable French sounding 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.

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.

Versions
There were three versions of the Topaze:

Details

 * payload mass: 410 kg (900 lb)
 * total mass: 2900 kg (6400 lb)
 * length: 7.07 m (23.2 ft)
 * range: 80 km (49 mi)
 * liftoff thrust: 120.0 kN
 * Soleil NA802 "Mammouth" solid rocket engine

Launches
There were launches between 1962 and 1964, reaching an apogee of 80 km (49 mi).

Topaze VE111L
==== Details ====
 * payload mass: 360 kg (840 lb)
 * total mass: 3434 kg (7570 lb)
 * length: 7.90 m (25.9 ft)
 * range: 110 km (68 mi)
 * liftoff thrust 147.0 kN
 * Soleil NA803 solid rocket engine

Launches

 * This version was launched eight times between 21 December 1963 and 21 May 1965, with apogees up to 110 km (68 mi).

Details

 * Soleil NA803 solid rocket engine

Launches
This version was launched two times in 1965.

Other uses
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.