Hammaguir
| Hammaguir | |
|---|---|
| Village and air base | |
 Hammaguir
|
|
| Coordinates: 30°54′N 3°2′W / 30.900°N 3.033°WCoordinates: 30°54′N 3°2′W / 30.900°N 3.033°W | |
| Country |
 Algeria
|
| Province | Béchar Province |
| District | Abadla District |
| Elevation | 744 m (2,441 ft) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
Hammaguir (also written Hamaguir) is a village in Abadla District, Béchar Province, Algeria, south-west of Béchar. It lies on the N50 national highway between Béchar and Tindouf. The location is notable for its role in French rocketry.
Hamaguir Airport is located here.
Between 1947 and 1967 there was a rocket launch site near Hammaguir, used by France for launching sounding rockets and the satellite carrier "Diamant" between 1965 and 1967.
The first French satellite Astérix was launched from there in 1965.
Far later, its name was given to an asteroid crater.
Hammaguir has a hot desert climate, with extremely hot summers and cool winters, and very little precipitation throughout the year.
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Wikipedia