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This is the WAC-Corporal liquid-fuel sounding rocket, the U.S.'s first successful sounding rocket. Developed from 1944 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, it could lift 25 pounds of instruments to 20 miles. The motor used nitric acid and aniline and produced 1,500 pounds of thrust. The first rocket was launched in 1945.

However, captured German V-2 rockets soon became available that could carry heavier payloads to higher altitudes. The WAC was thus little used. One was placed on top of a V-2, however, as part of the U.S.'s first experimental two-stage liquid propellant rocket series called Project Bumper. One Bumper in 1949 went up to a record 244 miles. This rocket was donated to the Smithsonian by Caltech in 1959.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Key Accomplishment(s) First Successful U.S. Sounding Rocket Brief Description First launched in 1945, the WAC-Corporal liquid-fuel sounding rocket could lift 11 kg (25 lbs) of instruments to 32 km (20 mi). The motor used nitric acid and aniline and produced 680 kg (1,500 lbs) of thrust. Date ca. 1945-1950 Country of Origin United States of America Type CRAFT-Missiles & Rockets Manufacturer Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
 Dimensions 3-D (L x W x H) (Artifact only): 505.5 × 103.5 × 30.5cm (16 ft. 7 in. × 3 ft. 4 3/4 in. × 1 ft.)
8" length for the acrylic pieces that hang from the bottom of the fins
 Materials Mainly sheet steel; plastic or plexiglass cones on tips of the two white fins
 Alternate Name WAC Corporal Sounding Rocket Inventory Number A19590009000 Credit Line Gift of the California Institute of Technology Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Open Access (CCO)
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