, ▁developed ▁in ▁India ▁by ▁the ▁engine ers ▁of ▁T ip u ▁Sultan . ▁With ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁a ▁kilometer , ▁his ▁ro cket - prop elled ▁gr en ades ▁and ▁inc endi aries ▁took ▁British ▁inv aders ▁by ▁surprise ▁during ▁the ▁Ang lo - M ys ore ▁Wars . ▁Im pressed ▁by ▁these ▁weapons , ▁a ▁London ▁lawyer , ▁Sir ▁William ▁Cong re ve , ▁became ▁fasc in ated ▁by ▁the ▁challenge ▁of ▁impro ving ▁rock ets . ▁He ▁experiment ed ▁with ▁prop ell ants ▁and ▁case ▁design . ▁His ▁system atic ▁approach ▁to ▁the ▁problem ▁resulted ▁in ▁improved ▁range , ▁guidance ▁( st abil ization ), ▁and ▁inc endi ary ▁capabilities . ▁The ▁British ▁armed ▁forces ▁used ▁Cong re ve ' s ▁new ▁rock ets ▁to ▁great ▁advantage ▁during ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁and ▁ 1 8 1 2 ▁Wars . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁research ers ▁at ▁the ▁California ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology ▁seeking ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁high - per formance ▁solid ▁ro cket ▁motor ▁to ▁assist ▁aircraft ▁take - off , ▁combined ▁black ▁pow der ▁with ▁common ▁road ▁as ph alt ▁to ▁produce ▁the ▁first ▁true ▁composite ▁motor . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁birth ▁of ▁the ▁true ▁composite ▁motor ▁and ▁marked ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁black ▁pow der ▁in ▁major ▁ro cket ry ▁applications . ▁This ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Jet ▁Prop ulsion ▁Labor atory , ▁and ▁the ▁source ▁of ▁its ▁name . ▁ ▁Form ulations ▁Black ▁pow der ▁ro cket ▁prop ell ant