Topaze (rocket)

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 and was the first guidable French sounding rocket. [File:PierrePrecieusesf.png|thumb|Military space program Pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) that included the five prototypes Agathe, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis et Saphir.|left]It was part of the Pierres précieuses 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" with 1 stage, using solid propulsion, and guided.
The Topaze was launched 14 times from the CIEES launch site in Hammaguir, Algeria, by ONERA.

Versions

There were three versions of the Topaze:

There were launches between 1962 and 1964, reaching an apogee of 80 km.

This version was launched two times in 1965.

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.