This is a rocket motor blank, one of six made for the American Rocket Society (ARS) in 1932 toward building, testing, and flying their first liquid-propellant rockets. It was not used but a similar blank, with lugs cast at the throat for propellant line connections, was used for ARS Rocket No. 1.
During a static test, the motor produced 60 pounds of thrust for 20-30 seconds. The blanks were made of cast aluminum provided free to the Society by the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa). This object was donated to the Smithsonian by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1966.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.