Feb 27 2009
From the V-2 Rocket to the Redstone
In our first post on the Rocket, we looked at the definition and started a brief history of the rocket prior to World War II. We will now pick up our discussion with the V-2 rocket, which was responsible for making the German rocket program a success.
The production of the V-2 rocket began in 1943. This rocket had a range of about 185 miles and 2,205 lb (1,000 kg) warhead with an amatol (highly explosive charge made from TNT and Ammonium Nitrate) explosive charge. The V-2 rocket had an altitude height of 90 km. Thousands of these rockets were fired at Allied nations during the war, and while they could not be intercepted, their guidance system and single conventional warhead meant made an impact, although it did not affect the course of the war. 2,754 people were killed and 6,523 were injured during the time the V-2 rocket was used. This rocket proved the lethal use and potential for the guided rocket as a weapon.
Following the end of World War II, the United States, Russian, and Brittan were competing for members of the German rocket program. The United States was far more successful than their counterparts in capturing Germans (many from the Nazi party) and bringing them to the United States through the program, Operation Paperclip. Von Braun worked with scientists to help with research and building of the United States rocket program. The V-2 Rocket was re-designed and became the Mercury Redstone Rocket.
Rockets were also used by U.S scientists, led in part by Von Braun; in performing atmospheric research in high altitude conditions, radio telemetry, cosmic ray studies, and for experimentation and development that led to the breaking of the sound barrier by the Bell X-1.
In the Soviet Union, they continued in their development programs with further expansion of the German V-2 rocket under Sergei Korolev, to become R-1, R-2, and R-5. Later, the German design was abandoned and a new series of engines designed and built by Glushko were used in the first ICBM (Inter continental Ballistic Missile) rocket, the R-7. This rocket, the R-7 was used to send Sputnik into orbit as well as to carry Yuri Gagarin into space. Rockets became extremely important for military usage, in particular for transport of the nuclear weapon.
In our next post in this series, we will move into the early days of the ‘Race for Space’ and the continued developments of the rocket for manned space exploration. Visit www.historychannel.com , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket, and http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/rocketry/index.html for a continued study in the history of the rocket.
Von Braun, in fact, sought out US soldiers in Germany because he didn’t want his rocketry to go to the Russians. He had used some ideas and concepts from Goddard (that the US had not taken to it’s full use) and was completely devoted to the notion of a manned space program.
We were damn lucky to have him here, despite his war record.
Thanks for your comments - our space program is a success because of work done by Von Braun. Next weeks post will move into the start of the manned space flight program.
G Becket - thanks for your visits and I am glad that you enjoy the blog. Do your children have a favorite subject? Maybe I will feature it in one of the posts.