How France became the third nation to reach orbit

Following the achievements of the USA and USSR, France achieved a historic milestone in spaceflight. This video explores the development of the Diamant rocket and the evolution of the French rocketry program.

After the initial space race between the USSR and the USA, it took seven years for another nation to reach orbit. France achieved this feat using its homegrown Diamant rocket to launch the Asterix satellite.

The French program began during World War II, progressing from sounding rockets to larger vehicles. By the 1960s, developing orbital launch capabilities and ballistic missiles became a priority, leading to three iterations of the Diamant rocket before the transition to the Ariane launch vehicle.

Source: The Third Country To Build an Orbital Rocket - A Diamond In The Sky