A Bumper Wac, a combination the V-2 rocket with a WAC Corporal upper stage, awaits launch on July 24, 1950. It was the eighth in the Bumper Project and the vehicle reached the altitude of 393 kilometers. The Bumper was built by the German Rocket experts at the White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico. In 1950, the last two Bumper launches took place in Florida, at the Long Range Proving Ground, located at Cape Canaveral.
Early Rockets
Bumper Wac liftoff at the Long Range Proving Ground located at Cape Canaveral, Florida. At White Sands, New Mexico, the German rocket team experimented with a two-stage rocket called Bumper Wac, which intended to provide data for upper atmospheric research. On February 24, 1950, the Bumper, which employed a V-2 as the first stage with a Wac Corporal upper stage, obtained a peak altitude of more than 240 miles.
Early Rockets
A 50th Anniversary Ceremony was held today in honor of the first rocket launch, called Bumper 8, from Pad 3 at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. Among the activities was the launch of a Bumper 8 model rocket (seen here), presentation of a Bumper Award to the Honorable George Kirkpatrick, State Senator, District 5; remarks by Center Director Roy Bridges and Commander, 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit; and a reception at Hangar C. Bumper consisted of a German V-2 missile acting as the booster and a U.S. Army WAC Corporal rocket as the second stage. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral
KSC00pp0970
A 50th Anniversary Ceremony was held today in honor of the first rocket launch, called Bumper 8, from Pad 3 at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. Among the activities was the launch of a Bumper 8 model rocket (seen here), presentation of a Bumper Award to the Honorable George Kirkpatrick, State Senator, District 5; remarks by Center Director Roy Bridges and Commander, 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit; and a reception at Hangar C. Bumper consisted of a German V-2 missile acting as the booster and a U.S. Army WAC Corporal rocket as the second stage. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral
KSC-00pp0970
A 50th Anniversary Ceremony was held today in honor of the first rocket launch, called Bumper 8, from Pad 3 at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. Members of the original Bumper 8 team reconvene at the ceremony with a Bumper 8 model rocket. The model was later launched as part of the festivities. Other activities included presentation of a Bumper Award to the Honorable George Kirkpatrick, State Senator, District 5; remarks by Center Director Roy Bridges and Commander, 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit; and a reception at Hangar C. Bumper consisted of a German V-2 missile acting as the booster and a U.S. Army WAC Corporal rocket as the second stage. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral
KSC00pp0972
A 50th Anniversary Ceremony was held today in honor of the first rocket launch, called Bumper 8, from Pad 3 at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. Members of the original Bumper 8 team reconvene at the ceremony with a Bumper 8 model rocket. The model was later launched as part of the festivities. Other activities included presentation of a Bumper Award to the Honorable George Kirkpatrick, State Senator, District 5; remarks by Center Director Roy Bridges and Commander, 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit; and a reception at Hangar C. Bumper consisted of a German V-2 missile acting as the booster and a U.S. Army WAC Corporal rocket as the second stage. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral
KSC00pp0971
A 50th Anniversary Ceremony was held today in honor of the first rocket launch, called Bumper 8, from Pad 3 at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. Members of the original Bumper 8 team reconvene at the ceremony with a Bumper 8 model rocket. The model was later launched as part of the festivities. Other activities included presentation of a Bumper Award to the Honorable George Kirkpatrick, State Senator, District 5; remarks by Center Director Roy Bridges and Commander, 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit; and a reception at Hangar C. Bumper consisted of a German V-2 missile acting as the booster and a U.S. Army WAC Corporal rocket as the second stage. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral
KSC-00pp0971
A 50th Anniversary Ceremony was held today in honor of the first rocket launch, called Bumper 8, from Pad 3 at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. Members of the original Bumper 8 team reconvene at the ceremony with a Bumper 8 model rocket. The model was later launched as part of the festivities. Other activities included presentation of a Bumper Award to the Honorable George Kirkpatrick, State Senator, District 5; remarks by Center Director Roy Bridges and Commander, 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit; and a reception at Hangar C. Bumper consisted of a German V-2 missile acting as the booster and a U.S. Army WAC Corporal rocket as the second stage. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral
KSC-00pp0972