Traces the development of the rocket as it developed from missile to space probe.

Beginning with World War II, missiles transformed the art of war. For the first time, cities of warring nations were vulnerable to sudden, unannounced, long-distance attacks. At the same time, rockets made possible one of the great triumphs of the modern age—the exploration of space. Beginning with the origins of rocketry in medieval and early modern Asia, Rockets and Missiles traces the history of the technology that led to both the great fear of global warfare and the great excitement of the Space Age. This volume focuses on rocketry in late-twentieth-century Western Europe, Russia, and the United States, as well as the spread of rocket technology to East Asia and the Middle East. It covers the full history of rocket technology—including how rockets improved in performance, reliability, and versatility and how they affected everyday life.

In 1945, the United States Army established a testing center for rockets and guided missiles in south-central New Mexico. Named White Sands Proving Ground, this center was the locale for many of Americas first steps towards space. Rockets and Missiles of White Sands Proving Ground chronicles major activities at the base from 1945-1958. During this period, the Army, Navy, and Air Force all tested missiles at the desert installation. This book details the development and testing for such missiles as Hermes, Corporal, Nike Ajax, Sergeant, Honest John, and Viking. These missiles formed the backbone of much of Americas arsenal during the Cold War and represented major technological advancements. In 1958, the White Sands Proving Ground became the White Sands Missile Range, as it is known today.