RED STONE ARSENAL MISSLE GUIDANCE

• Birthplace of U.S. Army Missile Program: Redstone Arsenal, located in Huntsville, Alabama, became the Army’s primary center for rocket and missile R&D after World War II, laying the foundation for America’s missile and space programs. • German Rocket Scientists’ Arrival: Operation Paperclip brought Wernher von Braun and his team of German rocket scientists to Redstone Arsenal in 1950, where they helped develop the Redstone missile, America’s first large ballistic missile. • Redstone Missile Guidance System: The Redstone missile used an innovative inertial guidance system, employing gyroscopes and accelerometers to maintain its trajectory without external input—a breakthrough in missile accuracy. • Guidance by the Chrysler Corporation: The Chrysler Corporation was contracted to produce the Redstone missile and its guidance components, marking a unique collaboration between the auto industry and the military. • First Live Nuclear Missile Test: In 1958, a Redstone missile equipped with a live nuclear warhead was launched during Operation Hardtack, demonstrating the effectiveness of its guidance and warhead delivery capabilities. • Mercury-Redstone Missions: The Redstone missile was adapted as the launch vehicle for the first American manned spaceflights, including Alan Shepard's historic suborbital flight in 1961, thanks to its reliable guidance system. • V-2 Rocket Legacy: The guidance technology for Redstone was directly influenced by the German V-2 rocket program, with many of the same scientists improving upon earlier designs. • Training Ground for Missile Crews: Redstone Arsenal served as the primary training ground for missile guidance and maintenance crews during the Cold War, preparing soldiers for deployment in Europe and beyond. • Birth of the Space Age: Work on missile guidance at Redstone Arsenal was crucial in forming NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, which played a key role in the Apollo moon missions. • Advancements in Computing: The need for precise missile guidance led to early advances in analog and digital computing at Redstone Arsenal, influencing later developments in military and civilian technology.