Nov. 26,1965: France Begins Launch Legacy with Diamant

摘要

More than 40 years ago, France became the third nation to launch a satellite using its own rocket, a first step toward establishing itself as Europe's expert in launch vehicles. On Nov. 26, 1965, France launched the 45-kilogram Asterix 1 test satellite aboard its Diamant rocket from the Ham-maguir launch base in Algeria. The Diamant was based on ballistic missile technology, similar to launch vehicles developed by the Soviet Union and the United States.