Jupiter-A

Jupiter-A

Takeoff of Jupiter-A CC-39
Manufacturer	Redstone Arsenal, Chrysler
Country of origin	United States
Size
Height	69.50 feet (21.18 m)
Diameter	5.83 feet (1.78 m)
Mass	64,060 pounds (29,060 kg)
Stages	1
Capacity
Payload to Low Earth Orbit
Mass	11 kg (24 lb)
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	LC-5 and 6, Cape Canaveral Missile Annex, Florida
Total launches	25
First flight	1955-09-22
Last flight	1958-06-12
First stage – Redstone
Powered by	1 North American Aviation (Rocketdyne) 75-110 A-3, A-4, A-6
Maximum thrust	91,350 lbf; 406.33 kN (41,434 kgf)
Specific impulse	265 s (2.60 km/s)
Burn time	155 s
Propellant	LOX/Ethanol, LOX/Hydyne

A member of the Redstone rocket family, Jupiter-A was the first variant of Redstone, used to test components later used in the PGM-19 Jupiter medium-range ballistic missile. ^[1] These included the Redstone ST-80 inertial guidance platform, Jupiter angle-of-attack sensors, warhead fusion systems and explosive bolts.

A total of twenty-five launches took place from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, Florida, on Launch Complexes 5 and 6, between 1955 and 1958. ^{[2] [3]}

Description

Jupiter-A is 21.20 meters high, with a diameter of 1.78 meters, and a height of 4 meters for the fins. ^{[4] [2]}

The first two flights, RS-11 and RS-12 (launched on September 22, 1956 and December 6, 1956), were powered by a Rocketdyne NAA 75-110 A-3 engine. Starting with Jupiter-A RS-18 on March 15, 1956 the A-4 rocket engine was used. From October 2, 1957 the A-6 engine was used (the A-5 version never entered service).

The rocket used a fuel consisting of 75% ethanol cut with 25% water and liquid oxygen as oxidizer. Jupiter-A RS-22 tested a A-4 rocket engine burning Hydyne as fuel, with a mixture of 60% UDMH and 40% DETA. ^{[4] [3]}

Flight history

Twenty-five Jupiter-A launch attempts were made between 1955 and 1958 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. ^{[2] [3] [5]}

Flight No.	Serial number	Launch date	Launch pad	Notes	Result
1	RS-11 / RS-HH	September 22, 1955	LC-6	First flight with full guidance system	Failure
2	RS-12 / RS-HU	December 6, 1955	LC-6	First flight successful with inertial guidance	Success
3	RS-18 / RS-HL	March 15, 1956	LC-6	The first launch of Jupiter A by the ABMA, a modified Redstone missile equipped with elements of the Jupiter IRBM's navigation and inertial control system.	Failure
4	RS-19 / RS-HE	May 16, 1956	LC-6		Failure
5	CC-13 / CC-HN	July 19, 1956	LC-5	First missile built by the Chrysler Corporation	Failure
6	RS-20 / RS-UX	August 8, 1956	LC-6		Success
7	CC-14 / CC-HT	October 18, 1956	LC-6		Success
8	RS-25 / RS-US	October 31, 1956	LC-6	Ground cutoff command given after 10 seconds of flight due to a yaw gyroscope malfunction.	Failure
9	RS-28 / RS-UL	November 14, 1956	LC-6	LEV-3 guidance system used instead of ST-80	Failure
10	CC-15 / CC-HS	November 29, 1956	LC-6		Success
11	RS-22 / RS-UU	December 19, 1956	LC-6	Hydyne fuel used	Failure
12	CC-16 / CC-HV	January 19, 1957	LC-6		Failure
13	RS-32	March 14, 1957	LC-6	First missile shipped directly from Chrysler to the test site	Failure
14	CC-30 / CC-NX	March 28, 1957	LC-6		Success
15	CC-31 / CC-NH	June 26, 1957	LC-6		Failure
16	CC-35 / CC-NS	July 12, 1957	LC-6		Success
17	CC-37 / CC-NI	July 26, 1957	LC-6		Success
18	CC-38 / CC-NL	September 11, 1957	LC-6		Failure
19	CC-39 / CC-NE	October 2, 1957	LC-6	First flight test of the Rocketdyne A-6 engine with a sea-level thrust of 78,000 lbs.	Success
20	CC-41 / CC-TH	October 31, 1957	LC-6		Failure
21	CC-42 / CC-TU	December 11, 1957	LC-6	Hardtack adapter kit test	Success
22	CC-45 / CC-TS	January 15, 1958	LC-6	Hardtack gondola test	Success
23	CC-46 / CC-TV	February 12, 1958	LC-6	Hardtack adapter kit test	Success
24	CC-43 / CC-TN	February 27, 1958	LC-6		Success
25	CC-48 / CC-TL	June 11, 1958	LC-6		Failure

Gallery

• 
  Jupiter-A RS-18, March 15, 1956
• 
  Jupiter-A RS-19, May 16, 1956
• 
  Jupiter-A CC-14, October 18, 1956
• 
  Jupiter-A RS-25, October 31, 1956
• 
  Jupiter-A CC-35, July 12, 1957
• 
  Jupiter-A CC-39, October 2, 1957

See also

• Jupiter-C
• Juno I

References

1. Bullard, John W. (October 15, 1965). History of the Redstone Missile System (PDF). pp. 97–98.
2. "JUPITER A FACT SHEET | Spaceline" . Retrieved 2025-12-03.
3. "Space Launch Report". spacelaunchreport.com. Archived from the original on 2014-04-01. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
4. "Jupiter A". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
5. Grimwood, James; Strowd, Frances (27 July 1962). "Appendix 7 - Jupiter A firings". History of the Jupiter missile system (PDF). U. S. Army Ordnance Missile Command. pp. 151–155.