V2 rocket firsts

May 4, 2007 4:30 PM

At the end of the war, three hundred trainloads of V-2s and parts were captured and shipped to the United States. More than 1,000 Earth pictures were returned from captured V-2s between 1946 (first photo from space) and 1950, from altitudes as high as 100 miles. One 1946 flight included corn and fruit flies, the first (Earth) "animals" in space.
posted by Twang (7 comments total)

The end of the V2 newsreel at youtube crows, "This giant engine of destruction, designed by Hitler to annihilate allied nations, now serves the worthy cause of peacetime research."
posted by Twang at 4:31 PM on May 4, 2007

Do you know who else had V2 rockets?
posted by First Post at 4:33 PM on May 4, 2007

Dupe but I think this one was better.
posted by delmoi at 4:36 PM on May 4, 2007

Werner von Braun?
posted by armage at 4:37 PM on May 4, 2007

Was this from somewhere else? It seems like a strange subject to dupe on.
posted by quin at 4:39 PM on May 4, 2007

First photo from space! Second time on MetaFilter!

(FWIW, I'm with delmoi: I think this post she's-a better, but first come first served, I reckon...)
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:39 PM on May 4, 2007

I aim for the stars and hit double post. Corn and fruit flies aside, another link to the same Air and Space Magazine jpeg a new and unique post doth not make.
posted by y2karl at 4:43 PM on May 4, 2007