Hammaguir
Encyclopedia
Hammaguir is a town in Algeria
, south-west of Béchar
. Between 1947 and 1967 there was a rocket
launch site near Hammaguir, used by France
for launching sounding rocket
s and the satellite carrier "Diamant
" between 1965 and 1967.
The first French satellite Astérix
was launched from there in 1965.
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, south-west of Béchar
Béchar
Béchar , formerly known as Colomb-Béchar, is a capital city of Béchar Province, Algeria. The area is controlled by Algeria, though claims have also been made on it by Morocco. In 1998 the city had a population of 134,954....
. Between 1947 and 1967 there was a rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
launch site near Hammaguir, used by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for launching sounding rocket
Sounding rocket
A sounding rocket, sometimes called a research rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The origin of the term comes from nautical vocabulary, where to sound is to throw a weighted line from a ship into...
s and the satellite carrier "Diamant
Diamant
The Diamant rocket was the first exclusively French expendable launch system and at the same time the first satellite launcher not built by either the USA or USSR. As such it is the main predecessor of all subsequent European launcher projects...
" between 1965 and 1967.
The first French satellite Astérix
Astérix (satellite)
Astérix, the first French satellite, was launched on November 26, 1965 by a rocket of type Diamant A from Hammaguir in Algeria. It was originally designated A-1, as the French Army's first satellite, but later renamed after the popular French cartoon character Astérix...
was launched from there in 1965.
| Date of lunch | Satellite | Weight | Support rocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 November 1965 | Astérix-1 Astérix (satellite) Astérix, the first French satellite, was launched on November 26, 1965 by a rocket of type Diamant A from Hammaguir in Algeria. It was originally designated A-1, as the French Army's first satellite, but later renamed after the popular French cartoon character Astérix... |
40 kg | Diamant |
| 17 February 1966 | Diapason-1 Diapason Diapason may refer to:* Diapason , a just interval in Pythagorean tuning* Diapason , a tonal grouping of the flue pipes of a pipe organ* Diapason , a French classical music magazine... |
19 kg | Diamant |
| 8 February 1967 | Diadéme-1 | 22,7 kg | Diamant |
| 15 February 1967 | Diadéme-2 | 22,7 kg | Diamant |