Diamant

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Diamant

Diamant A
Function	Small launch vehicle
Manufacturer	SEREB
Country of origin	France
Size
Height	A: 18.95 m (62.2 ft) B: 23.5 m (77 ft) BP4: 21.6 m (71 ft)
Diameter	1.34 m (4 ft 5 in)
Mass	18,400 kg (40,600 lb)
Stages	3
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass	160 kg (350 lb)
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	A: Hammaguir B/BP4: Guiana
Total launches	12 (A:4, B: 5, BP4: 3)
Success(es)	9 (A: 3, B: 3, BP4: 3)
Failure(s)	2 (B)
Partial failure(s)	1 (A)
First flight	A: 26 November 1965 B: 10 March 1970 BP4: 6 February 1975
Last flight	A: 15 February 1967 B: 21 May 1973 BP4: 27 September 1975
First stage (Diamant A) – Emeraude
Powered by	1 Vexin B
Maximum thrust	301.55 kN (67,790 lbf)
Specific impulse	203 s (1.99 km/s)
Burn time	93 seconds
Propellant	HNO3 / turpentine
First stage (Diamant B/BP4) – Améthyste
Powered by	1 Valois [fr]
Maximum thrust	396.52 kN (89,140 lbf)
Specific impulse	221 s (2.17 km/s)
Burn time	110 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH
Second stage (Diamant A/B) – Topaze
Powered by	1 P2.2
Maximum thrust	120.082 kN (26,996 lbf)
Specific impulse	255 s (2.50 km/s)
Burn time	39 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Second stage (Diamant BP4) – P-4/Rita
Maximum thrust	176 kN (40,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	273 s (2.68 km/s)
Burn time	55 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Third stage (Diamant A) – Rubis
Powered by	1 P-064
Maximum thrust	29.4 kN (6,600 lbf)
Specific impulse	211 s (2.07 km/s)
Burn time	39 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Third stage (Diamant B/BP4) – P-068
Maximum thrust	50 kN (11,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	211 s (2.07 km/s)
Burn time	46 seconds
Propellant	Solid
[edit on Wikidata]

The Diamant rocket (French for "diamond") was the first exclusively French expendable launch system and at the same time the first satellite launcher not built by either the United States or USSR. As such, it has been referred to as being a key predecessor for all subsequent European launcher projects. The head of the project, Charley Attali, received the Legion of Honour in 1965 for the Diamant.^[1][2]

During 1962, development of the Diamant commenced as the inaugural spacecraft project of France's space agency, the Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES). As a project, it was derived from the military program pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) that included the five prototypes Agate, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis and Saphir (Agate, Topaz, Emerald, Ruby and Sapphire),^[3] and drew heavily upon the knowledge and technologies that had been previously developed. On 26 November 1965, the Diamant A performed its maiden flight. Out of a total of 12 launch attempts to be performed between 1965 and 1975, 9 of these were successful. Most notably, on 26 November 1965, the Diamant was used to successfully launch the first French satellite, named Astérix.

Three successive versions of the Diamant rocket were developed, designated A, B and BP4. All versions had three stages and a payload of approximately 150 kg for a 200 km orbit. Despite the success of the Diamant as a launcher, France ultimately chose to terminate further work on its national launcher program in favour of participation in the multi-European programme to produce what would become the Ariane launcher in 1975.