Launch of the First French Satellite to Hammaguir

Issued in 1965, this stamp commemorates the launch of France's first satellite, Astérix, a historic achievement that made France the third country in the world, after the Soviet Union and the United States, to place a satellite into orbit using its own launch vehicle. The satellite was launched aboard a Diamant rocket from the Hammaguir launch site in Algeria on 26 November 1965, marking an important milestone in the development of the French and European space programs.

By issuing this commemorative stamp, the French Somali Coast (Côte Française des Somalis) celebrated a major scientific and technological accomplishment of the Space Age. The issue highlighted the rapid advances in space exploration and recognized the importance of research, innovation, and international prestige associated with satellite technology and the exploration of outer space.