Space Launch Now - Diamant B

Diamant B

In-active

Société d'étude et de réalisation d'engins balistiques ()

March 10, 1970

Description

The Diamant rocket (Diamant is 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.

Specifications

Stages
3
Length
23.5 m
Diameter
1.34 m
Fairing Diameter
1.34 m
Launch Mass
18.0 T
Thrust
396.0 kN

Family

Name
Diamant B
Family
―
Variant
B
Alias
―
Full Name
Diamant B

Payload Capacity

Launch Cost
―
Low Earth Orbit
160.0 kg
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
―
Direct Geostationary
―
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
―

Société d'étude et de réalisation d'engins balistiques

Commercial

None

1959

Société d'étude et de réalisation d'engins balistiques or SÉREB was a French aviation company. It was created initially to develop two-stage ballistic missiles for nuclear weapons (Force de dissuasion nucléaire française). CNES was formed in 1961, which took over much development of civilian research.

Previous Flights

flew on five previous launch(es).

Diamant B | Castor & Pollux

Société d'étude et de réalisation d'engins balistiques | France
Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
May 21, 1973, 8:47 a.m.

Status: Launch Failure

Mission:

Dual French scientific satellites. Lost due to launch vehicle failure.

Low Earth Orbit

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Diamant B | Polaire

Société d'étude et de réalisation d'engins balistiques | France
Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Dec. 5, 1971, 4:20 p.m.

Status: Launch Failure

Mission:

Satellite similar to Tournesol (detect the presence of hydrogen in several directions of the celestial sphere) but in a more polar orbit. It failed to reach orbit.

Polar Orbit

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