1900-1950
Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky, a Russian school teacher stated the correct theory for rocket power. He published a scientific paper explaining it in 1903. Tsiolkovsky also presented the first ideas of the multistage rocket, and rockets that utilized liquid oxygen as well as hydrogen propellants. Then in 1926, Robert H. Goddard conducted the first successful launching of a liquid-propellant rocket. At 60 miles per hour, it climbed 41 feet then landed 184 feet away.
Rocket research advanced in Germany, Soviet Union, and United States during the 1930’s. Hermann Oberth, leading a small group of German engineers and scientists, experimented with rockets. The Soviet rocket scientists were led by Fridrikh A. Tsander and Sergei P. Korolev. Goddard was still the most prominent rocket researcher in the United States.
During the time of World War II, engineers in German were being led by Wernher von Braun. They created the powerful V-2 guided missile. London and Antwerp, Beglium were flooded with hundreds of V-2's during the last couple months of the war by the Germans. Americans captured many German V-2 missiles and sent them back to the United States for research. After the war was done, von Braun plus around 150 other German scientists moved to the United States in order to continue their study of rockets. Others went to the Soviet Union. These V-2's were the first rockets used for high-altitude research. The first high-altitude rockets designed and built in the United States were the WAC Corporal, the Aerobee, and the Viking. Experiments on the German V-2’s after World War II were greatly beneficial for United States scientist. They became the first rockets used for high-altitude research. The first U.S. high-altitude rockets were the WAC Corporal, the Aerobee, and the Viking. At 16 feet, the WAC Corporal reached about 45 miles in altitude during test flights in 1945. Early models of the Aerobee got to around 70 miles. Then in 1949, the Viking was launched by the U.S. Navy. The rocket was based off of the V-2, but had an improved liquid-propellant. Much longer than the Aerobee, it was over 45 feet, but only climbed around 50 miles.Other rockets developed by the U.S. during the 1950’s include the Jupiter with a range of 1,600 miles, and the Pershing that could travel about 450 miles. The first successful launch of a Polaris underwater missile in 1960 was by the United States Navy. U.S. space scientists used many military rockets developed in the 1950’s as the basis for launch vehicles.
On Oct. 14, 1947, Captain Charles E. Yeager of the U.S. Air Force made the first supersonic, or faster than sound, flight. The rocket-powered airplane was called the X-1. The X-15 also had a rocket engine, which set an unofficial airplane altitude record of 354,200 feet in 1963. It also hit a peak speed of 4,520 miles per hour, which is more than six times the speed of sound.
Rocket research advanced in Germany, Soviet Union, and United States during the 1930’s. Hermann Oberth, leading a small group of German engineers and scientists, experimented with rockets. The Soviet rocket scientists were led by Fridrikh A. Tsander and Sergei P. Korolev. Goddard was still the most prominent rocket researcher in the United States.
During the time of World War II, engineers in German were being led by Wernher von Braun. They created the powerful V-2 guided missile. London and Antwerp, Beglium were flooded with hundreds of V-2's during the last couple months of the war by the Germans. Americans captured many German V-2 missiles and sent them back to the United States for research. After the war was done, von Braun plus around 150 other German scientists moved to the United States in order to continue their study of rockets. Others went to the Soviet Union. These V-2's were the first rockets used for high-altitude research. The first high-altitude rockets designed and built in the United States were the WAC Corporal, the Aerobee, and the Viking. Experiments on the German V-2’s after World War II were greatly beneficial for United States scientist. They became the first rockets used for high-altitude research. The first U.S. high-altitude rockets were the WAC Corporal, the Aerobee, and the Viking. At 16 feet, the WAC Corporal reached about 45 miles in altitude during test flights in 1945. Early models of the Aerobee got to around 70 miles. Then in 1949, the Viking was launched by the U.S. Navy. The rocket was based off of the V-2, but had an improved liquid-propellant. Much longer than the Aerobee, it was over 45 feet, but only climbed around 50 miles.Other rockets developed by the U.S. during the 1950’s include the Jupiter with a range of 1,600 miles, and the Pershing that could travel about 450 miles. The first successful launch of a Polaris underwater missile in 1960 was by the United States Navy. U.S. space scientists used many military rockets developed in the 1950’s as the basis for launch vehicles.
On Oct. 14, 1947, Captain Charles E. Yeager of the U.S. Air Force made the first supersonic, or faster than sound, flight. The rocket-powered airplane was called the X-1. The X-15 also had a rocket engine, which set an unofficial airplane altitude record of 354,200 feet in 1963. It also hit a peak speed of 4,520 miles per hour, which is more than six times the speed of sound.