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. The Topaze was launched 14 times from the CIEES launch site in Hammaguir, Algeria, by ONERA.
There were two versions of the Topaze:
- Topaze VE111C
- *payload mass: 410 kg
- *total mass: 2900 kg
- *length: 7.07 m
- *range: 80 km
- *liftoff thrust: 120.0 kN
- Topaze VE111L
- *payload mass: 360 kg
- *total mass: 3434 kg
- *length: 7.90 m
- *range: 110 km
- *liftoff thrust 147.0 kN
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.
