These are the dimensions of the original German missile. At the end of World War Two, the U.S. captured and shiped home 100 German V-2 missiles. These rockets, originally built as weapons, gained notoriety when used to bombard Britain from mainland Germany. But the V-2’s were more than weapons. They were the key to the beginnings of space travel. The design of the V-2 was to influence and inspire the space boosters of the 1950's. But the captured V-2's themselves initiated scientists in upper atmospheric research.
The captured V-2 rockets were sent to White Sands, New Mexico to train the U.S. military in the ways of missiles, but with a ton of high explosive removed from the nose, there was room for scientific payloads. The V-2, capable of carrying a ton of instruments up about 100 miles, was perfect for exploring unknown regions of the atmosphere as well as invisible solar radiation and the mysterious cosmic rays. The military invited scientists from across the country to participate in rocket-borne research.
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