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In a military context a missile is a rocket-propelled, guided weapon.

A Loon Missile moments after launch from the US Navy submarine USS Cusk as part of Project DERBY
Aviation
Spaceflight
Astronomy
Behind the scenes
People
Records and Firsts
Science
Society and Culture
Technology and Engineering
War and Conflict

In a military context a missile is a rocket-propelled, guided weapon.

A Loon Missile moments after launch from the US Navy submarine USS Cusk as part of Project DERBY

Stories

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AirSpace Season 9, Episode 1: The Suicide Squad The Cuban Missile Crisis
Restoring the Museum’s V-2 Missile The Military Rockets that Launched the Space Age Project Paperclip and American Rocketry after World War II
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Exhibitions

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Learn more Destination Moon National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC Learn more Modern Military Aviation National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
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Learning Resources

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Three Types of Engines Learn how piston engines, jet engines, and rocket engines all depend on the same basic principles to produce thrust. http://howthingsfly.si.edu/propulsion/engines Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8 Aircraft, Missiles, Rockets, Technology and Engineering

Student

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 Thrust: Rocket Engines Explore how rocket engines generate thrust. http://howthingsfly.si.edu/media/thrust-rocket-engines Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8 Rockets, Missiles, Science

Student

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 Smithsonian Science Starter: How to Launch a Rocket This lesson will investigate how rocketry works, and the role of Newton’s Second and Third Laws of Motion in explaining rocket motion. https://s.si.edu/SSSHowLaunchRocket Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8 Missiles, Rockets, Science, Spacecraft, Technology and Engineering

Teacher

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 Smithsonian Science Starter: Learn About Rocket Launches Using Balloons – ISS Science What do balloons have to do with rockets? Find out in this episode of ISS Science with Astronaut Randy Bresnik. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZUfw20GoMQ&t=124s Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8 Human spaceflight, Missiles, Rockets, Technology and Engineering, Spaceflight

Student

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Publications

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Learn more The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era Learn more American Missiles: The Complete Smithsonian Field Guide
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