Bérénice was the designation of a four-stage French atmospheric reentry test rocket, developed by O.N.E.R.A. (Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales).[1][2][3][4][5]
Description
editBérénice was 13.25 m (43.5 ft) long, possessed a diameter of 0.56 m (1.8 ft) and weighed 3,340 kg (7,360 lb) at launch. The takeoff thrust of Bérénice, which could carry a payload of 3,340 kg (7,360 lb) to a height of 1,000 km (620 mi), amounted to 170 kN (38,000 lbf). The first stage, a SEPR-739 Stromboli, was stabilised by four SEPR-P167 rockets developing 34 kN (7,600 lbf).[1][4][5] The second stage consisted of a SEPR-740 Stromboli, almost identical to the first stage.[1][4][5] The third stage was a SEPR-P200 Tramontane and the fourth stage comprised a Mélanie rocket and payload.[2][3][4][5]
Launches
editThe twelve production rockets, Bérénice 001 to Bérénice 012, were launched by ONERA from Ile du Levant from 1962 to 1966.[1][3]
| Date | Mission Description | Apogee (km) |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 June 27 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1962 Q3 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1962 July 6 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1962 November 1 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1963 June 27 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1963 July 3 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1964 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1964 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1964 October 1 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 250 |
| 1964 October 1 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 250 |
| 1965 | Re-entry Vehicle test | 270 |
| 1966 | Titus test / solar mission | 270 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "ONERA rockets". 2012-11-14. Archived from the original on 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
- ^ a b "Berenice" (PDF). S.E.P.R. Union Revue d'Information du Personnel (in French) (7): 34. February 1963. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "Berenice". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
- ^ a b c d "SEPR-739 with upper stages". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
- ^ a b c d "La fusée Bérénice". eurospace.free.fr. Retrieved 2023-11-14.