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Historical Values
Year Value
2025 early 1960s - began rocket program and launched animals into space 1965 - launched first domestically produced satellite (Asterix) into space on a French Diamant rocket (third country to do so after the Soviet Union and US) 1973 - began development of Ariane heavy-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV) along with other European states, particularly Germany and the UK; Ariane would become the ESA's SLV 1970s-1990s - development of a space plane/shuttle program (Hermes) 1982 - first French astronaut