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Monica
French low-cost, three-stage, solid-propellant sounding rocket developed in France in the 1950's in support of the International Geophysical Year.

Status: Retired 1963. Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb). Height: 6.00 m (19.60 ft). Diameter: 0.16 m (0.52 ft). Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

In 1952 France's CASDN (Comité d'Action Scientifique de Défense Nationale) ordered 15 Veronique sounding rockets through DEFA (Direction des Etudes et Fabrications d'Armement) for use during the International Geophysical Year. Budget cutbacks led to delays in the Veronique program, and in 1954 CASDN turned to ATEF company (Association Technique pour l'Etude des Fusees) to develop a low-cost, three-stage, solid-propellant alternative using the existing SEPR-35 sounding rocket design as a starting point. The SEPR-35's stage and stabilizing fin scheme was used as the starting point, but three solid rocket motors using newer-technology propellants were developed: the Melanie, using Plastolite for the booster; and Theodore and Oreste, using Epictete propellant for upper stages. The names of the stages formed into the acronym Meteo, by which the rocket was known at the time the first order for 50 ATEF-14 rockets was issued.. During the third launch campaign in June 1955, the rocket was renamed Monica.

A follow-on order for 15 rockets in 1956 was for new versions with larger upper stages, dubbed the Monica IV and V.

Subtopics
Monica I French sounding rocket.
Monica IV French sounding rocket.
Meteo French sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle.
MD-01 French sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle.
Grannos French test vehicle. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Emilie + 1 x Melusine
Country: France. Bibliography: 2.
1955 February 25 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Hammaguira CB. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1955 April 12 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Hammaguira CB. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1955 June 2 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Hammaguira CB. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1955 October 2 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Hammaguira CB. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1956 January 17 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Hammaguira CB. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1956 May 1 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1956 May 22 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1957 January 1 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1957 February 1 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1957 May 1 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1957 May 28 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica I.
1959 October 1 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica IV.
1959 October 1 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica IV.
1959 November 1 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica IV.
1959 November 1 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica IV.
1959 November 1 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica IV.
1959 December 1 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica IV.
1959 December 1 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica IV.
1960 February 1 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Monica IV.
1962 December 7 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: MD-01. FAILURE: Failure.
1962 December 7 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: MD-01. FAILURE: Failure.
1963 May 24 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: MD-01.
1963 May 29 - . Launch Site: Hammaguira. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: MD-01.
1969 March 1 - . Launch Site: Ile du Levant. LV Family: Monica. Launch Vehicle: Grannos.
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