V-2

The V-2 (Or the Vengeance Weapon 2, as called by the Nazi Germans), was a German ballistic missile,[1 ] and later a suborbital research rocket used by the United States and the Soviet Union for space research. The famous Werhner von Braun designed this particular rocket, and did you know that he originally intended to use the V-2 as a Space Rocket, but Hitler planned to use it to attack Europe.

Info on the Rocket
The rocket had a range of about 200 miles, making it able to reach nearly anywhere in Europe, fortunately, it never did much destruction to Europe, except in London.[2 ]

The V-2 used Liquid Oxygen and Alcohol as its fuel and oxidizer. The Rocket was constructed out of sheets of steel which were welded onto the rocket. The rockets warhead could carry up to about 2,000 pounds of high explosives. It had guidance systems to help lead it to its target, which were directly under the warhead. This rocket also famously uses a pump to pump the LOX and Alcohol mixture into the combustion chamber to be burned.[3 ]

The rocket was made and tested at the Peenumunde Army Research Station. Famously known for housing the V-2, and for launching it.[4 ]

The V-2's role in Space Research
After WWII, captured V-2's were obtained by many Nations, famously the USSR, and USA. They studied the rocket and attempted to rebuild and launch their own versions of the rocket. The Russians had their R-1, while the Americans, along with Werhner von Braun and his engineers, test flew and did many research activities with the newly acquired rockets. The Russians launched small animals in the rocket, to make plans for soon launching humans into space, while the Americans, busily worked on atmospheric research and rocket designing. The V-2 both heavily contributed to both the USSR's and the USA's space programs, and even though it did bad things during the War, it should be goodly remembered as mankind's finest achievements.[5 ]

Videos and Pictures
V-2 Rocket launch video on YouTube