Saphir (rocket)

File:PierrePrecieusesf.png

Military space program pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) that included the five prototypes Agathe, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis and Saphir.

VE 231 Saphir (French, meaning sapphire) was a French two stage sounding rocket.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

It was part of the pierres précieuses (fr.: gemstones) program, that included five prototypes Agathe, Topaze, Emeraude, Rubis and Saphir,<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> leading up to the Diamant orbital rocket.

Its codename, VE 231, indicates that it is a "Véhicule Expérimental" (Experimental Vehicle) with 2 stages, using liquid and solid propellant (code 3), and guided (code 1).

Saphir was used between 1965 and 1967 and had a payload capacity of Template:Convert. The rocket could reach a maximum altitude of Template:Convert and produced thrust of Template:Convert at launch. Saphir had a launch mass of Template:Convert, a diameter of Template:Convert and a length of Template:Convert.<ref name="Astronautix">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Saphir variants were designed to allow testing of radio-controlled guidance (VE231P), inertial guidance (VE231G), and warhead separation and ablative heat shielding of a re-entry vehicle (VE231R).<ref name="Astronautix" /><ref name=":2" />

The Diamant rocket, which carried the first French satellite, Asterix-1, into orbit, was developed from the Saphir with the addition of a third stage. After the successful launch of Diamant, Saphir rockets were used to test technologies for France's burgeoning intercontinental ballistic missile development—as mentioned before, radio and inertial guidance, warhead separation, and ablative heat shielding of a re-entry vehicle.<ref name="Astronautix" /><ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Launches

Saphir was launched 15 times from CIEES, Hammaguir, from July 5, 1965, to January 27, 1967.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Astronautix" />

Number	Date	Variant	Payload	Apogee (km)	Result
1	5 Jul 1965	VE231P	Reentry P1	1000	Success
2	10 Jul 1965	VE231P	Reentry P2	50	Failure
3	9 Oct 1965	VE231P	Reentry P3	1150	Success
4	13 Mar 1966	VE231G	Reentry G1	1000	Success
5	18 Mar 1966	VE231G	Reentry G2	1000	Success
6	28 Mar 1966	VE231R	Reentry R2	1000	Success
7	5 Apr 1966	VE231R	Reentry R1	1000	Success
8	23 Jun 1966	VE231R	Reentry R4	1000	Success
9	5 Oct 1966	VE231R	Reentry R3	1000	Success
10	28 Oct 1966	VE231G	Reentry G3	1000	Success
11	2 Nov 1966	VE231G	Reentry G4	1000	Success
12	2 Dec 1966	VE231R	Reentry R5	50	Failure
13	13 Dec 1966	VE231R	Reentry R6	1000	Success
14	19 Jan 1967	VE231G	Reentry G5	1000	Success
15	27 Jan 1967	VE231G	Reentry G6	1000	Success

See also

• French space program
• Veronique (rocket)