 | Diamant A
Credit - © Mark Wade
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Orbital launch vehicle. Year: 1965. Family: Precious stone. Country: France. Status: Out of production. In December 1961 France decided to demonstrate its own satellite-launch capability. This could be done relatively quickly using stages and systems being developed for strategic missiles. In May 1962 CNES selected DMA as program manager, with SEREB as the prime contractor. The Diamant orbital launch vehicle was created by replacing the payload of the existing Saphir test vehicle with a new third stage. Prior to any all-up satellite launch attempt the P064 third stage was flight tested on the smaller suborbital Rubis test vehicle. This evolutionary approach paid off and Diamant was successful on its first attempt in 1965. Manufacturer: SEREB. Launches: 4. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 75.00%. First Launch Date: 1965-11-26. Last Launch Date: 1967-02-15. Launch data is: complete. LEO Payload: 160 kg (350 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. Apogee: 2,000 km (1,200 mi). Associated Spacecraft: Asterix, D, Diadem. Liftoff Thrust: 265.500 kN (59,687 lbf). Total Mass: 18,400 kg (40,500 lb). Core Diameter: 1.34 m (4.39 ft). Total Length: 18.95 m (62.17 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 5.700 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Stage Data - Diamant A - Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Diamant-1. Gross Mass: 14,685 kg (32,374 lb). Empty Mass: 1,946 kg (4,290 lb). Thrust (vac): 301.550 kN (67,791 lbf). Isp: 251 sec. Burn time: 93 sec. Isp(sl): 221 sec. Diameter: 1.34 m (4.39 ft). Span: 2.30 m (7.50 ft). Length: 9.76 m (32.02 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 4. Engine: Vexin B. Other designations: Emeraude. Status: Out of production.
- Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Diamant-2. Gross Mass: 2,815 kg (6,206 lb). Empty Mass: 540 kg (1,190 lb). Thrust (vac): 120.082 kN (26,996 lbf). Isp: 255 sec. Burn time: 39 sec. Isp(sl): 225 sec. Diameter: 0.80 m (2.62 ft). Span: 0.80 m (2.62 ft). Length: 4.57 m (14.99 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 1. Engine: Topaze. Other designations: Topaze. Status: Out of production.
- Stage Number: 3. 1 x Stage: Diamant-3. Gross Mass: 703 kg (1,549 lb). Empty Mass: 68 kg (149 lb). Thrust (vac): 29.400 kN (6,609 lbf). Isp: 211 sec. Burn time: 39 sec. Isp(sl): 211 sec. Diameter: 0.66 m (2.16 ft). Span: 0.66 m (2.16 ft). Length: 1.98 m (6.49 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: P6. Other designations: P-6. Status: Out of production.
Diamant A Chronology 1965 November 26 - 14:47 GMT - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Brigitte. Launch Pad: Brigitte. Launch Vehicle: Diamant A. Model: Diamant A. LV Configuration: Diamant A No. 1. - Asterix 1 Nation: France. Payload: A 1. Mass: 42 kg (92 lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: Asterix. Agency: CNES. Perigee: 527 km (327 mi). Apogee: 1,697 km (1,054 mi). Inclination: 34.30 deg. Period: 107.50 min. COSPAR: 1965-096A. USAF Sat Cat: 1778. First French satellite. French scientific satellite 'A-I'. Launched from Hammaguir (Algeria) in rder to test the 'Diamant' launching vehicle for the first time. References: 1, 2, 5, 6.
1966 February 17 - 08:33 GMT - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Brigitte. Launch Pad: Brigitte. Launch Vehicle: Diamant A. Model: Diamant A. LV Configuration: Diamant A No. 2. - Diapason Nation: France. Payload: D-1A. Mass: 19 kg (41 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Geodetic. Spacecraft: D. Agency: CNES. Perigee: 502 km (311 mi). Apogee: 2,484 km (1,543 mi). Inclination: 34.10 deg. Period: 115.80 min. COSPAR: 1966-013A. USAF Sat Cat: 2016. Scientific satellite 'D-I' launched from Hammaguir (Algeria). References: 1, 2, 5, 6.
1967 February 8 - 09:39 GMT - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Brigitte. Launch Pad: Brigitte. Launch Vehicle: Diamant A. Model: Diamant A. LV Configuration: Diamant A No. 3. FAILURE: Partial Failure - injected into too low an orbit. - Diademe 1 Nation: France. Payload: Diademe D-1C. Mass: 23 kg (50 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Geodetic. Spacecraft: Diadem. Agency: CNES. Perigee: 545 km (338 mi). Apogee: 1,084 km (673 mi). Inclination: 40.00 deg. Period: 101.20 min. COSPAR: 1967-011A. USAF Sat Cat: 2674. Orbit too low. Launch time of Diadem I was 10:39:40 on 8 Feb 1967. Launch time of Diadem II was 11:06:57 on 15 Feb 1967. References: 1, 2, 5, 6.
1967 February 15 - 10:06 GMT - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Brigitte. Launch Pad: Brigitte. Launch Vehicle: Diamant A. Model: Diamant A. LV Configuration: Diamant A No. 4. - Diademe 2 Nation: France. Payload: Diademe D-1D. Mass: 23 kg (50 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Geodetic. Spacecraft: Diadem. Agency: CNES. Perigee: 584 km (362 mi). Apogee: 1,733 km (1,076 mi). Inclination: 39.40 deg. Period: 108.50 min. COSPAR: 1967-014A. USAF Sat Cat: 2680. Launch time of Diadem I was 10:39:40 on 8 Feb 1967. Launch time of Diadem II was 11:06:57 on 15 Feb 1967. References: 1, 2, 5, 6.
Bibliography and Further Reading - McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
- Gatland, Kenneth, Missiles and Rockets, Macmillan, New York, 1975. ISBN: 0713735058. Covers rocketry of all nations. More at amazon.com...
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