52 | SCIENCE ILLUSTRATEDThe WMD That Sent Us to Space
With Wernher von Braun at the helm, Germany builds the first space
rocket in history. But soon, the Soviet Union takes the lead, with the US
in hot pursuit. Both base their technologies on von Braun’s V-2 rocket.1949
FIRST TWO-STAGE
ROCKET LAUNCHED
Wernher von Braun's RTV-G-4 Bumper
test rocket reaches a record altitude of
400 km. The rocket uses a V-2 as a
launcher and carries a probe at its nose.1961
THE US LAUNCHES
THE FIRST AMERICAN
On 5 May, astronaut Alan B. Shepard from
the Mercury programme becomes the first
American in space: 15 minutes at an
altitude of 187 km.1944
NAZI ROCKET
IN SPACE
On 20 June, the V-2 rocket reaches the magic
border to outer space at an altitude of 100
km for the first time. The rocket travels to
an altitude of 176 km above Earth's surface.1926
NEW ROCKET
TYPE LAUNCHED
Robert H. Goddard of the US launches
history's first rocket with liquid fuel. The
rocket, which measures 3 m, flies for 2.5
seconds, reaching an altitude of 12 m.1965
COSMONAUT TAKES
SPACE WALK
Cosmonaut Alexey Leonov makes
history's first space walk from his
Voskhod 2 space capsule. Leonov walks in
empty space for 12 minutes.1969
ASTRONAUT SETS FOOT
ON THE MOON
On 20 July, Neil Armstrong becomes the first
man on the Moon. The launcher is von
Braun's Saturn V rocket, which
is based on the V-2.1981
REUSABLE
SPACE SHUTTLE
NASA’s first space shuttle, Columbia, consists of four
parts: the spacecraft, a large fuel tank, and two rocket
boosters. The space shuttle can land again, and the
reusable boosters are carried down by parachutes.rocket tech is so advanced that the country is able to
launch a satellite, it will probably also soon have the
technology to strike the US with nuclear weapons. Feeling
powerless and defeated, US politicians panic, and after
years of refusing to listen, instantly pivot to demands of
immediate action. The Soviet Union’s lead must be turned
into US dominance without delay.
The first hasty attempt at launching a satellite into
space is the launch of the US Navy's Vanguard rocket in
December 1957. Millions of American TV viewers watch
the rocket lift a few cm off the launch pad, before it
explodes into thousands of pieces. The public opinion is
merciless. The unsuccessful launch is named “Flopnik”,
“Kaputnik”, etc., and the insistence on conquering spaceNot until the German rocket inventor gets unexpected
help, he has the chance to pursue his space dreams.“FLOPNIK” GIVES VON BRAUN AN OPPORTUNITY
On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union, the arch-enemy,
suddenly and totally unexpectedly, enters the space age
with the launch of Sputnik, the world’s first satellite.
Von Braun is also indirectly the man behind the
technological triumph, as by the end of the war, Russia
obtains a handful of V-2 rockets, which are ready to be
launched, as well as detailed drawings, and the Soviet
rocket programme is based on the "booty".
But to both von Braun and the rest of the US, the
Sputnik launch comes as a kick in the guts. If Russia'sThe Moon is 400,000
km from Earth, and
the Apollo crew
took about three
days to get there.IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM/GETTY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/NASA/SHUTTERSTOCKSPACE ROCKETS