Saphir (rocket)

SU 231 Sapphire is the name of a French sounding rocket. The sapphire was launched 1965-1967, has a payload capacity of 365 kg and a maximum altitude of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 280 kN, a launch mass of 18,058 t, a diameter of 1.40 m and a length of 17.77 m. From the orbital sapphire diamond rocket was developed, which carried the first French satellite into orbit. They came in three different versions with radio control ( VE231P ), inertial guidance ( VE231G ) and to test the separation of the warhead and the ablative re-entry body ( VE231R ).

Between July 5, 1965 and the January 27, 1967 15 launches were conducted from the launch pad Brigitte in Algerian Hammaguir. The greatest altitude reached was 1150 km on 9 October 1965.

It belonged to the French VE program ( véhicule expérimental ) for the development of air, silo or submarine -based intercontinental ballistic missiles, which included the VE8, VE9, VA10 Aigle, VE110 Agate, VE111 Topaze, VE121 Emeraude and the VE210 Rubis. These missiles were developed in 1959 on the instructions of de Gaulle founded in September 1959 by the company SEREB ( Société pour l' Etude et la RÃ © alisation d' Engin Balistiques ).