This photograph is of the engine for the Redstone rocket. The Redstone ballistic missile was a high-accuracy, liquid-propelled, surface-to-surface missile developed by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Redstone Arsenal, in Huntsville, Alabama, under the direction of Dr. von Braun. The Redstone engine was a modified and improved version of the Air Force's Navaho cruise missile engine of the late forties. The A-series, as this would be known, utilized a cylindrical combustion chamber as compared with the bulky, spherical V-2 chamber. By 1951, the Army was moving rapidly toward the design of the Redstone missile, and the production was begun in 1952. Redstone rockets became the "reliable workhorse" for America's early space program. As an example of its versatility, the Redstone was utilized in the booster for Explorer 1, the first American satellite, with no major changes to the engine or missile.
U.S. Army Redstone Rocket: The Redstone ballistic missile was a high-accuracy, liquid-propelled, surface-to-surface missile developed by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Redstone Arsenal, in Huntsville, Alabama, under the direction of Dr. von Braun. The Redstone rocket was also known as "Old Reliable" because of its many diverse missions. The first Redstone Missile was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida on August 30, 1953.
The first Redstone was fired at Cape Canaveral, Florida on August 20, 1953. Redstone was the first major rocket development program for United States by the Peenemuende group led by Dr. Wernher von Braun. The Redstone launch photographed here, from November 17, 1954, was the fifth launch of a Redstone rocket.
As the nations missile and rocket program began to expand in the 50's, Huntsville, Alabama was the home to Redstone Arsenal and the famous team of rocket experts led by Dr. Wernher Von Braun. Soon Huntsville was called the "Rocket City" as depicted in this photo believed to have been taken in the 1950's in Huntsville, Alabama. (Courtesy of Huntsville/Madison County Public Library)
Marshall Space Flight Center’s Rocket Park, located on Redstone Arsenal, stands as a living testament to the spirit of cooperation that continues between the U.S. Army and NASA.
Air Force Two lands with Vice President Mike Pence along with Congressman Robert Aderholt at the Redstone Army Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, on Monday, Sept. 25. The Vice President is visiting NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, located on Redstone Arsenal, to meet with employees, view test hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System — America’s new deep-space rocket, and tour the Payload Operations Integration Center, “science central” for the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Emmett Given)
A Mercury-Redstone launch vehicle awaits test-firing in the Redstone Test Stand during the late 1950s. Between 1953 and 1960, the rocket team at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama performed hundreds of test firings on the Redstone rocket, over 200 on the Mercury-Redstone vehicle configuration alone. It was this configuration which launched America's first two marned space missions, Freedom 7 and Liberty Bell 7,in 1961.
Test firing of a Redstone Missile at Redstone Test Stand in the early 1950's. The Redstone was a high-accuracy, liquid-propelled, surface-to-surface missile developed by the von Braun Team under the management of the U.S. Army. The Redstone was the first major rocket development program in the United States.
In this 1959 photograph, technicians prepare tail sections for Mercury-Redstone vehicles in Building 4706 at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team at Redstone, the Mercury-Redstone launched the first two marned U.S. missions.
In January 1958, a modified Redstone rocket lifted the first American satellite into orbit just 3 months after the the von Braun team received the go-ahead. This modified Redstone rocket was known as a Jupiter-C. Its satellite payload was called Explorer I.
Redstone missile No. 1002 on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 16, 1958. The Redstone ballistic missile was a high-accuracy, liquid-propelled, surface-to-surface missile developed by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Redstone Arsenal, in Huntsville, Alabama, under the direction of Dr. von Braun. The Redstone engine was a modified and improved version of the Air Force's Navaho cruise missile engine of the late forties. The A-series, as this would be known, utilized a cylindrical combustion chamber as compared with the bulky, spherical V-2 chamber. By 1951, the Army was moving rapidly toward the design of the Redstone missile, and production was begun in 1952. Redstone rockets became the "reliable workhorse" for America's early space program. As an example of the versatility, Redstone was utilized in the booster for Explorer 1, the first American satellite, with no major changes to the engine or missile
The image depicts Redstone missile being erected. The Redstone ballistic missile was a high-accuracy, liquid-propelled, surface-to-surface missile developed by Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Redstone Arsenal, in Huntsville, Alabama, under the direction of Dr. von Braun. The Redstone engine was a modified and improved version of the Air Force's Navaho cruise missile engine of the late forties. The A-series, as this would be known, utilized a cylindrical combustion chamber as compared with the bulky, spherical V-2 chamber. By 1951, the Army was moving rapidly toward the design of the Redstone missile, and the production was begun in 1952. Redstone rockets became the "reliable workhorse" for America's early space program. As an example of the versatility, Redstone was utilized in the booster for Explorer 1, the first American satellite, with no major changes to the engine or missile
The Mercury-Redstone Booster Development vehicle (MR-BD) lifts off from Cape Canaveral March 24, 1961. This test flight evaluated changes incorporated in the booster designed to reduce vehicle oscillations and vibrations. The Mercury-Redstone launch vehicle was developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team in Huntsville, Alabama.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Astronaut Alan B. Shepard is being assisted by a technician in getting into his space suit at 2:45 a.m. this morning, beginning the long countdown of the scheduled launch of the Mercury Redstone. After Astronaut Shepard is suited up, he will travel by van to the Redstone Gantry on Pad 5 and be placed into the Mercury Capsule, called Freedom 7, on top of the Redstone booster rocket. Astronaut Shepard will pilot the first U.S. manned sub-orbital space flight of the Manned Mercury Program.
Juno I, a slightly modified Jupiter-C launch vehicle, shortly before the January 31, 1958 launch of America's first satellite, Explorer I. The Jupiter-C, developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, consisted of a modified version of the Redstone rocket's first stage and two upper stages of clustered Baby Sergeant rockets developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Engine for the Jupiter rocket. The Jupiter vehicle was a direct derivative of the Redstone. The Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, continued Jupiter development into a successful intermediate ballistic missile, even though the Department of Defense directed its operational development to the Air Force. ABMA maintained a role in Jupiter RD, including high-altitude launches that added to ABMA's understanding of rocket vehicle operations in the near-Earth space environment. It was knowledge that paid handsome dividends later.
America’s first scientific satellite, the Explorer I, carried the radiation detection experiment designed by Dr. James Van Allen and discovered the Van Allen Radiation Belt. It was launched aboard a modified redstone rocket known as the Jupiter C, developed by Dr. von Braun’s rocket team at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The satellite launched on January 31, 1958, just 3 months after the the von Braun team received the go-ahead.
Ham, a three-year-old chimpanzee, in the spacesuit he would wear for the second Mercury- Redstone (MR-2) suborbital test flight in January, 1961. NASA used chimpanzees and other primates to test the Mercury capsule before launching the fisrt American astronaut, Alan Shepard, in May 1961. The Mercury capsule rode atop a modified Redstone rocket, developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the German Rocket Team in Huntsville, Alabama.
Alan B. Shepard, Jr., America's first astronaut, stands in front of the Freedom 7 spacecraft shortly after completion of the third flight of the Mercury-Redstone (MR-3) vehicle, May 5, 1961. During the 15-minute suborbital flight, the Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft, launched atop a modified Redstone rocket developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team in Huntsville, Alabama, reached an altitude of 115 miles and traveled 302 miles downrange.
Air Force Two lands with Vice President Mike Pence along with Congressman Robert Aderholt at the Redstone Army Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, on Monday, Sept. 25. The Vice President is visiting NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, located on Redstone Arsenal, to meet with employees, view test hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System — America’s new deep-space rocket, and tour the Payload Operations Integration Center, “science central” for the International Space Station.
Air Force Two lands with Vice President Mike Pence along with Congressman Robert Aderholt at the Redstone Army Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, on Monday, Sept. 25. The Vice President is visiting NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, located on Redstone Arsenal, to meet with employees, view test hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System — America’s new deep-space rocket, and tour the Payload Operations Integration Center, “science central” for the International Space Station.
Dr. Rocco A. Petrone served at director of the Marshall Space Flight Center from January 26, 1973 to March 15, 1974. Prior to his tenure at Marshall, Petrone served as director of the Apollo program and director of launch operations at Kennedy Space Center. His career in rocket development and space programs began with his participation in the development of the Redstone missiles at the Army's Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Upon his departure from Marshall, Petrone served as NASA Associate Administrator for Center Operations.
Astronaut Virgil Gus Grissom awaits America's second marned space mission, Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) on July 21, 1961. During the 15-minute suborbital flight, the Liberty Bell 7 Mercury spacecraft reached an altitude of 118 miles and traveled 303 miles downrange. It was the fourth flight of the Mercury-Redstone launch vehicle (MR-4), developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team in Huntsville, Alabama.
Air Force Two lands with Vice President Mike Pence along with Congressman Robert Aderholt at the Redstone Army Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, on Monday, Sept. 25. The Vice President is visiting NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, located on Redstone Arsenal, to meet with employees, view test hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System — America’s new deep-space rocket, and tour the Payload Operations Integration Center, “science central” for the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Emmett Given)
Air Force Two lands with Vice President Mike Pence along with Congressman Robert Aderholt at the Redstone Army Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, on Monday, Sept. 25. The Vice President is visiting NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, located on Redstone Arsenal, to meet with employees, view test hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System — America’s new deep-space rocket, and tour the Payload Operations Integration Center, “science central” for the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Emmett Given)
S88-31374 (29 April 1961) --- A close-up of astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. in his space suit with his helmet on inside the Mercury capsule. He is undergoing a flight simulation test with the capsule mated to the Redstone booster. This will be the first attempt to put a man into space by the U.S. aboard a Mercury spacecraft, launched atop a Redstone rocket. The suborbital trajectory will be down the Atlantic Missile Range. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
On October 02, 1976, Marshall Space Flight Center’s (MSFC) Redstone test stand was received into the National Registry of Historical Places. Photographed in front of the Redstone test stand along with their wives are (left to right), Madison County Commission Chairman James Record, Dr. William R. Lucas, MSFC Center Director from June 15, 1974 until July 3, 1986, (holding certificate), Ed, Buckbee, Space and Rocket Center Director; Harvie Jones, Huntsville Architect; Dick Smith; and Joe Jones.
Air Force Two lands with Vice President Mike Pence along with Congressman Robert Aderholt at the Redstone Army Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, on Monday, Sept. 25. The Vice President is visiting NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, located on Redstone Arsenal, to meet with employees, view test hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System — America’s new deep-space rocket, and tour the Payload Operations Integration Center, “science central” for the International Space Station.
S61-00239 (1961) --- Mercury astronauts John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil I. Grissom and Alan B. Shepard Jr. standing by Redstone rocket in their spacesuits. Photo credit: NASA
1961 -- The first three Americans in space, Mercury astronauts, from the left, John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom and Alan B. Shepard Jr. standing by Redstone rocket in their spacesuits.
THE REDSTONE ROBOTICS OF HUNTSVILLE’S LEE AND NEW CENTURY TECH DEMO HIGH SCHOOLS WORK DURING THE “ROCKET CITY REGIONAL” FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION AT THE VON BRAUN CENTER IN 2016.
The Jupiter rocket was designed and developed by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA). ABMA launched the Jupiter-A at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on March 1, 1957. The Jupiter vehicle was a direct derivative of the Redstone. The Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, continued Jupiter development into a successful intermediate ballistic missile, even though the Department of Defense directed its operational development to the Air Force. ABMA maintained a role in Jupiter RD, including high-altitude launches that added to ABMA's understanding of rocket vehicle operations in the near-Earth space environment. It was knowledge that paid handsome dividends later.
Pictured at sunset is Marshall Space Flight Center’s Propulsion R&D Lab, Building 4205.
Launch of Jupiter-C/Explorer 1 at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 31, 1958. After the Russian Sputnik 1 was launched in October 1957, the launching of an American satellite assumed much greater importance. After the Vanguard rocket exploded on the pad in December 1957, the ability to orbit a satellite became a matter of national prestige. On January 31, 1958, slightly more than four weeks after the launch of Sputnik.The ABMA (Army Ballistic Missile Agency) in Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, in cooperation with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, launched a Jupiter from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket consisted of a modified version of the Redstone rocket's first stage and two upper stages of clustered Baby Sergeant rockets developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and later designated as Juno boosters for space launches
Launch of Jupiter-C/Explorer 1 at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 31, 1958. After the Russian Sputnik 1 was launched in October 1957, the launching of an American satellite assumed much greater importance. After the Vanguard rocket exploded on the pad in December 1957, the ability to orbit a satellite became a matter of national prestige. On January 31, 1958, slightly more than four weeks after the launch of Sputnik.The ABMA (Army Ballistic Missile Agency) in Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, in cooperation with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, launched a Jupiter from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket consisted of a modified version of the Redstone rocket's first stage and two upper stages of clustered Baby Sergeant rockets developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and later designated as Juno boosters for space launches
Air Force Two lands with Vice President Mike Pence along with Congressman Robert Aderholt at the Redstone Army Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, on Monday, Sept. 25. They were greeted by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Director Todd May and Redstone Arsenal’s Lt. Gen. Edward Daly. The Vice President is visiting NASA’s Marshall Center to meet with employees, view test hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System — America’s new deep-space rocket, and tour the Payload Operations Integration Center, “science central” for the International Space Station.
Air Force Two lands with Vice President Mike Pence along with Congressman Robert Aderholt at the Redstone Army Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, on Monday, Sept. 25. They were greeted by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Director Todd May and Redstone Arsenal’s Lt. Gen. Edward Daly. The Vice President is visiting NASA’s Marshall Center to meet with employees, view test hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System — America’s new deep-space rocket, and tour the Payload Operations Integration Center, “science central” for the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Emmett Given)
On May 28, 1959, a Jupiter Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile provided by a U.S. Army team in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, launched a nose cone carrying Baker, A South American squirrel monkey and Able, An American-born rhesus monkey. This photograph shows Able after recovery of the nose cone of the Jupiter rocket by U.S.S. Kiowa.
The Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise is off-loaded at Redstone Arsenal Airfield for later Mated Vertical Ground Vibration tests (MVGVT) at Marshall Space Flight Center's Dynamic Test Stand. The tests marked the first time ever that the entire shuttle complement (including orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket boosters) were mated vertically.
S61-02408 (5 May 1961) --- Launching of the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) rocket from Cape Canaveral on astronaut Alan B. Shepard?s suborbital mission. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise is off-loaded at Redstone Arsenal Airfield for later Mated Vertical Ground Vibration tests (MVGVT) at Marshall Space Flight Center's Dynamic Test Stand. The tests marked the first time ever that the entire shuttle complement including orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket boosters were vertically mated.
The Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise is off-loaded at Redstone Arsenal Airfield for later Mated Vertical Ground Vibration tests (MVGVT) at Marshall Space Flight Center's Dynamic Test Stand. The tests marked the first time ever that the entire shuttle complement (including orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket boosters) were mated vertically.
S61-02407 (5 May 1961) --- Launching of the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) rocket from Cape Canaveral on astronaut Alan B. Shepard?s suborbital mission. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
German technicians stack the various stages of the V-2 rocket in this undated photograph. The team of German engineers and scientists who developed the V-2 came to the United States at the end of World War II and worked for the U. S. Army at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
JSC2012-E-063490 (5 June 2012) --- The June 5, 2012 transit of Venus, the small dot to the right of center, was captured by a Johnson Space Center photographer in Rocket Park. A Mercury-Redstone vehicle on display in the park is seen at left. Photo credit: NASA
S61-02409 (5 May 1961) --- Launching of the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) rocket from Cape Canaveral on astronaut Alan B. Shepard?s suborbital mission. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
JSC2012-E-063489 (5 June 2012) --- The June 5, 2012 transit of Venus, the small dot in upper right of the disk, was captured by a Johnson Space Center photographer in Rocket Park. A Mercury-Redstone vehicle on display in the park is seen at left. Photo credit: NASA
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A Mercury/Redstone rocket on display at the Pass and Identification Building at the entrance to Kennedy Space lies on its side following Hurricane Frances. The storm's path over Florida took it through Cape Canaveral and KSC property during Labor Day weekend.
The Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise is off-loaded Redstone Arsenal Airfield for later Mated Vertical Ground Vibration tests (MVGVT) at Marshall Space Flight Center's Dynamic Test Stand. The tests marked the first time ever that the entire shuttle complement (including orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket boosters) were mated vertically.
The Hermes A-1 rocket was designed by the U. S. Army after capturing the V-2 rocket from the German army at the conclusion of the Second World War. The Hermes A-1 is a modified V-2 rocket; it utilized the German aerodynamic configuration; however, internally it was a completely new design. This rocket was the first designed by the German Rocket Team at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL.
The cutaway drawing of the A-4 (Aggregate-4) rocket. Later renamed the V-2 (Vengeance Weapon-2), The rocket was developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the German rocket team at Peenemuende, Germany on the Baltic Sea. At the end of World War II, the team of German engineers and scientists came to the United States and continued rocket research for the Army at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The U.S. flag waves proudly in front of a replica of a Mercury-Redstone rocket at Complex 5/6 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. A celebration was held at the launch site of the first U.S. manned spaceflight May 5, 1961, to mark the 50th anniversary of the flight. Fifty years ago, astronaut Alan Shepard lifted off inside the Mercury capsule, "Freedom 7," atop an 82-foot-tall Mercury-Redstone rocket at 9:34 a.m. EST, sending him on a remarkably successful, 15-minute suborbital flight. The event was attended by more than 200 workers from the original Mercury program and included a re-creation of Shepard's flight and recovery, as well as a tribute to his contributions as a moonwalker on the Apollo 14 lunar mission. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/topics/history/milestones/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
This drawing illustrates the vital dimensions of the A-4 (Aggregate-4). Later renamed the V-2 (Vengeance Weapon-2), the rocket was developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the German rocket team at Peenemuende, Germany on the Baltic Sea. At the end of World War II, the team of German engineers and scientists came to the United States and continued rocket research for the Army at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
This German cutaway drawing of the Aggregate-4 (A-4) illustrates the dimensions and internal workings of the rocket. Later renamed the V-2, the rocket was developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the German Rocket Team at Peenemuende on the Baltic Sea. At the end of World War II, the team of German engineers and scientists came to the United States to work for the Army at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
Explorer 1 atop a Jupiter-C in gantry. Jupiter-C carrying the first American satellite, Explorer 1, was successfully launched on January 31, 1958. The Jupiter-C launch vehicle consisted of a modified version of the Redstone rocket's first stage and two upper stages of clustered Baby Sergeant rockets developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and later designated as Juno boosters for space launches
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, invited guests tour the blockhouse at Complex 5/6 during a celebration of Alan Shepard's historic flight 50 years ago. From left are Robert Sieck, former shuttle launch director; Andy Anderson, former manager for communications in the Mercury Mission Control Center; Bob Moser, former chief test conductor for the Mercury-Redstone launches; and John Twigg, former backup chief test conductor for the Mercury-Redstone launches. The celebration was held at the launch site of the first U.S. manned spaceflight May 5, 1961, to mark the 50th anniversary of the flight. Fifty years ago, astronaut Alan Shepard lifted off inside the Mercury capsule, "Freedom 7," atop an 82-foot-tall Mercury-Redstone rocket at 9:34 a.m. EST, sending him on a remarkably successful, 15-minute suborbital flight. The event was attended by more than 200 workers from the original Mercury program and included a re-creation of Shepard's flight and recovery, as well as a tribute to his contributions as a moonwalker on the Apollo 14 lunar mission. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/topics/history/milestones/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bob Moser, former chief test conductor for the Mercury-Redstone launches, tours the blockhouse at Complex 5/6 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The celebration was held at the launch site of the first U.S. manned spaceflight May 5, 1961, to mark the 50th anniversary of the flight. Fifty years ago, astronaut Alan Shepard lifted off inside the Mercury capsule, "Freedom 7," atop an 82-foot-tall Mercury-Redstone rocket at 9:34 a.m. EST, sending him on a remarkably successful, 15-minute suborbital flight. The event was attended by more than 200 workers from the original Mercury program and included a re-creation of Shepard's flight and recovery, as well as a tribute to his contributions as a moonwalker on the Apollo 14 lunar mission. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/topics/history/milestones/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
This illustration shows the main characteristics of the Jupiter C launch vehicle and its payload, the Explorer I satellite. The Jupiter C, America's first successful space vehicle, launched the free world's first scientific satellite, Explorer 1, on January 31, 1958. The four-stage Jupiter C measured almost 69 feet in length. The first stage was a modified liquid fueled Redstone missile. This main stage was about 57 feet in length and 70 inches in diameter. Fifteen scaled down SERGENT solid propellant motors were used in the upper stages. A "tub" configuration mounted on top of the modified Redstone held the second and third stages. The second stage consisted of 11 rockets placed in a ring formation within the tub. Inserted into the ring of second stage rockets was a cluster of 3 rockets making up the third stage. A fourth stage single rocket and the satellite were mounted atop the third stage. This "tub", all upper stages, and the satellite were set spirning prior to launching. The complete upper assembly measured 12.5 feet in length. The Explorer I carried the radiation detection experiment designed by Dr. James Van Allen and discovered the Van Allen Radiation Belt.
In this view looking northwest over the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise is seen heading South on Rideout Road near the Redstone Arsenal Fire Station as it is being transported to MSFC's building 4755 for later Mated Vertical Ground Vibration tests (MVGVT) at MSFC's Dynamic Test Stand. The tests marked the first time ever that the entire shuttle complement (including Orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket boosters) were mated vertically.
In this undated file photo, probably from World War II, a V-2 rocket emerges from its camouflaged shelter. The team of German engineers and scientists who developed the V-2 came to the United States after World War II and worked for the U. S. Army at Fort Bliss, Texas and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise atop a 747 landing at Redstone Arsenal Airfield for later Mated Vertical Ground Vibration tests (MVGVT) at Marshall Space Flight Center's Dynamic Test Stand. The tests marked the first time ever that the entire shuttle complement (including orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket boosters) were mated vertically.
S78-27238 (13 March 1978) --- The space shuttle orbiter 101 Enterprise approaches riding atop its 747 carrier aircraft, arrives at the Redstone Arsenal airstrip near Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, Alabama, on March 13, 1978. It is to undergo ground vibration tests along with the external tank and solid rocket boosters, in preparation for Orbiter Flight Tests (OFT) in which its successor craft (Orbiter 102) will take several two-man crews into Earth orbit. Photo credit: NASA
Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. lifts off in the Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft on May 5, 1961. This third flight of the Mercury-Redstone (MR-3) vehicle, developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team in Huntsille, Alabama, was the first marned space mission for the United States. During the 15-minute suborbital flight, Shepard reached an altitude of 115 miles and traveled 302 miles downrange.
The Juno II launch vehicle, shown here, was a modified Jupiter Intermediate-Range Ballistic missionile, developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the rocket team at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Between December 1958 and April 1961, the Juno II launched space probes Pioneer III and IV, as well as Explorer satellites VII, VIII and XI.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
Caption: NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
Caption: NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
Caption: NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
Caption: NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
Caption: NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
Caption: NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
NASA's Super Guppy aircraft arrives to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Airfield in Huntsville, Alabama, April 2, to pick up flight hardware for NASA’s Space Launch System – its new, deep-space rocket that will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into the solar system. The Guppy will depart on Tuesday, April 3 to deliver the Orion stage adapter to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for flight preparations. On Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft, the adapter will connect Orion to the rocket and carry 13 CubeSats as secondary payloads.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- More than 200 workers from the original Mercury program pose for a group photo in front of a replica of a Mercury-Redstone rocket during a celebration at Complex 5/6 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The celebration was held at the launch site of the first U.S. manned spaceflight May 5, 1961, to mark the 50th anniversary of the flight. Fifty years ago, astronaut Alan Shepard lifted off inside the Mercury capsule, "Freedom 7," atop an 82-foot-tall Mercury-Redstone rocket at 9:34 a.m. EST, sending him on a remarkably successful, 15-minute suborbital flight. The event was attended by more than 200 workers from the original Mercury program and included a re-creation of Shepard's flight and recovery, as well as a tribute to his contributions as a moonwalker on the Apollo 14 lunar mission. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/topics/history/milestones/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Program participants pose for a group photo in front of a replica of a Mercury-Redstone rocket during a celebration at Complex 5/6 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. From left are Hugh Harris, former director of Public Affairs at Kennedy Space Center; Alice Wackermann, Julie Jenkins and Laura Churchley, daughters of astronaut Alan Shepard; Jack King, former chief, Public Information Office, Marshall Space Flight Center; Bob Moser, former chief test conductor for the Mercury-Redstone launches; NBC reporter Jay Barbree; Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter; Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana; Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms, commander of the 14th Air Force and former astronaut; and NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden. The celebration was held at the launch site of the first U.S. manned spaceflight May 5, 1961, to mark the 50th anniversary of the flight. Fifty years ago, astronaut Alan Shepard lifted off inside the Mercury capsule, "Freedom 7," atop an 82-foot-tall Mercury-Redstone rocket at 9:34 a.m. EST, sending him on a remarkably successful, 15-minute suborbital flight. The event was attended by more than 200 workers from the original Mercury program and included a re-creation of Shepard's flight and recovery, as well as a tribute to his contributions as a moonwalker on the Apollo 14 lunar mission. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/topics/history/milestones/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director Dr. William Pickering, Dr. James van Allen of the State University of Iowa, and Army Ballistic missionile Agency Technical Director Dr. Wernher von Braun triumphantly display a model of the Explorer I, America's first satellite, shortly after the satellite's launch on January 31, 1958. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory packed and tested the payload, a radiation detection experiment designed by Dr. van Allen. Dr. von Braun's rocket team at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, developed the Juno I launch vehicle, a modified Jupiter-C.
Inside the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the Sigma 7 Mercury spacecraft in this exhibit was piloted by astronaut Wally Schirra during his six-orbit mission on Oct. 3, 1962. For display purposes, it is shown here attached to a Redstone launch vehicle like the one that boosted astronauts Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom on sub-orbital flights in 1961. Schirra's capsule was actually launched by the more powerful Atlas rocket in order to reach orbit. The new facility looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
Dr. Wernher von Braun served as Marshall Space Flight Center's first director from July 1, 1960 until January 27, 1970, when he was appointed NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Plarning. Following World War II, Dr. von Braun and his German colleagues arrived in the United States under Project Paperclip to continue their rocket development work. In 1950, von Braun and his rocket team were transferred from Ft. Bliss, Texas to Huntsville, Alabama to work for the Army's rocket program at Redstone Arsenal and later, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Under von Braun's leadership, Marshall developed the Saturn V launch vehicle which took Apollo astronauts to the moon.
Dr. Wernher von Braun served as Marshall Space Flight Center's first director from July 1, 1960 until January 27, 1970, when he was appointed NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Planning. Following World War II, Dr. von Braun and his German colleagues arrived in the United States under Project Paper Clip to continue their rocket development work. In 1950, von Braun and his rocket team were transferred from Ft. Bliss, Texas to Huntsville, Alabama to work for the Army's rocket program at Redstone Arsenal and later, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Under von Braun's leadership, Marshall developed the Saturn V launch vehicle which took Apollo astronauts to the moon. Dr. von Braun died in Alexandria, Va., on June 16, 1977, seven years after his NASA appointment. This photo was taken at the site where he was laid to rest.
Dr. Eberhard Rees served as director of the Marshall Space Flight Center from March 1, 1970 until January 19, 1973 when he retired from NASA. Prior to his appointment as Director, Rees served as the Center's deputy director under Dr. Wernher von Braun, 1960-1970. Rees came to the United States as part of the Dr. Wernher von Braun's German Rocket team following World War II. He transferred to Huntsville, Alabama from Fort Bliss, Texas in 1950 to work for the Army's rocket program at Redstone Arsenal. From 1956 to 1960 he served as deputy director of development operations at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency under von Braun. In 1960 Rees was transferred to NASA's Marshall Center.
Filled with anticipation, students from three Huntsville area high schools: Randolph, Sparkman and Johnson High Schools, counted down to launch the rockets they designed and built at the Army test site on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The projected two-mile high launch culminated more than a year's work and demonstrated the student team's ability to meet the challenge set by the Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Student Launch Initiative (SLI) program to apply science and math to experience, judgment, and common sense, and proved to NASA officials that they have successfully built reusable launch vehicles (RLVs), another challenge set by NASA's SLI program. MSFC's SLI program is an educational effort that aims to motivate students to pursue careers in science, math, and engineering. It provides them with hands-on, practical aerospace experience. In this picture, two Johnson High School students pose with their rocket.
Filled with anticipation, students from three Huntsville area high schools: Randolph, Sparkman, and Johnson High Schools, counted down to launch the rockets they designed and built at the Army test site on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The projected two-mile high launch culminated more than a year's work and demonstrated the student team's ability to meet the challenge set by the Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Student Launch Initiative (SLI) program to apply science and math to experience, judgment, and common sense, and proved to NASA officials that they have successfully built reusable launch vehicles (RLVs), another challenge set by NASA's SLI program. MSFC's SLI program is an educational effort that aims to motivate students to pursue careers in science, math, and engineering. It provides them with hands-on, practical aerospace experience. In this picture, three Sparkman High School students pose with their rocket.
Filled with anticipation, students from three Huntsville area high schools: Randolph, Sparkman, and Johnson High Schools, counted down to launch the rockets they designed and built at the Army test site on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The projected two-mile high launch culminated more than a year's work and demonstrated the student team's ability to meet the challenge set by the Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Student Launch Initiative program to apply science and math to experience, judgment, and common sense, and proved to NASA officials that they have successfully built reusable launch vehicles (RLVs), another challenge set by NASA's SLI program. MSFC's SLI program is an educational effort that aims to motivate students to pursue careers in science, math, and engineering. It provides hands-on, practical aerospace experience. In this picture, a rocket built by Johnson High School students soars to it projected designation.
The German Rocket Team, also known as the Von Braun Rocket Team, poses for a group photograph at Fort Bliss, Texas. After World War II ended in 1945, Dr. Wernher von Braun led some 120 of his Peenemuende Colleagues, who developed the V-2 rocket for the German military during the War, to the United Sttes under a contract to the U.S. Army Corps as part of Operation Paperclip. During the following five years the team worked on high altitude firings of the captured V-2 rockets at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and a guided missile development unit at Fort Bliss, Texas. In April 1950, the group was transferred to the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, and continued to work on the development of the guided missiles for the U.S. Army until transferring to a newly established field center of the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).
Dr. von Braun is looking out from a 10th floor window of building 4200 at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). He was the first Center Director and served as the Director from July 1960 through February 1970. Following World War II, Dr. von Braun and his German colleagues arrived in the United States under the Project Paperclip (American acquisition of German rocket experts) to continue their rocket development work. In 1950, von Braun and his German Rocket Team (also called the Peenemuende Team) were transferred from Ft. Bliss, Texas to Huntsville, Alabama to work for the Army's rocket program at Redstone Arsenal and later, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Under Dr. von Braun's leadership, MSFC developed the Saturn V launch vehicle, which placed the first men, two American astronauts, on the Moon. Wernher von Braun's life was dedicated to expanding man's knowledge through the exploration of space.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Orion crew module, enclosed in its crew module transportation fixture and secured on a flatbed truck nears the entrance gate to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the background is a full-scale mockup of the Mercury Redstone rocket that boosted NASA astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom on their 1961 sub-orbital missions that began America's human spaceflight program. Orion made the overland trip from Naval Base San Diego in California. Orion was recovered from the Pacific Ocean after completing a two-orbit, four-and-a-half hour mission Dec. 5 to test systems critical to crew safety, including the launch abort system, the heat shield and the parachute system. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program led the recovery, offload and transportation efforts. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/orion. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Throughout the past 50 years, NASA's Kennedy Space Center has carried on America's legacy of processing, testing and launching a wide array of rockets and spacecraft to distant planets and other destinations in space. Launch vehicles, from left, include the Atlas V, the space shuttle, the Delta II, the Titan IV, the Atlas II, the Apollo Saturn V, the Gemini Titan and the Mercury Redstone. In the foreground are human destinations the center helped NASA reach, including Earth's orbit and the International Space Station. At the top right is NASA's newest spacecraft, the Orion multi-purpose crew vehicle, which will help humans explore deeper into space than ever before. Image credit: NASA