Although American rocket pioneer Robert H. Goddard developed, patented, and flew small liquid-propellant rockets as early as 1914, the United States was the only one of the three major allied World War II powers to not have its own rocket program, until Von Braun and his engineers were expatriated from Nazi Germany in 1945. The US acquired a large number of V-2 rockets and recruited von Braun and most of his engineering team in Operation Paperclip. The team was sent to the Army's White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico, in 1945. They set about assembling the captured V-2s and began a program of launching them and instructing American engineers in their operation. These tests led to the first photos of Earth from space, and the first two-stage rocket, the WAC Corporal-V-2 combination, in 1949. The German rocket team was moved from Fort Bliss to the Army's new Redstone Arsenal, located in Huntsville, Alabama, in 1950. From here, von Braun and his team developed the Army's first operational medium-range ballistic missile, the Redstone rocket, derivatives of which launched both America's first satellite, and the first piloted Mercury space missions. It became the basis for both the Jupiter and Saturn family of rockets.
AlthOugH amerICan ROcket Pioneer rOberT h. goddard deVEloped, patentEd, and FleW SMall liquid-pROpellant roCkeTs as earLy aS 1914, tHE united sTatEs waS THe onLY One of tHe threE maJoR alLIed world wAr ii poweRS To noT hAVe Its OwN rocket pRogram, unTIl vOn Braun and his enginEers were exPAtRiaTed fROM naZi gErmany in 1945. the us acquiREd A lARGe NumBEr oF v-2 rocKeTs and RecRuited vOn bRaun AND most of hiS enGIneering tEAM in operaTion papeRclIp. The team WAs sent To the ArMy's whiTe sandS proVIng gRouNd in neW MExiCo, in 1945. They set aBOut AsSeMbling the caPturEd v-2s And beGAn A pRogRAm oF launching them and Instructing amErICaN ENgineeRs iN tHEir opErAtioN. These tests leD To tHe first photos of earTh From spaCe, AnD ThE first two-sTAge rockeT, The wAc COrporal-v-2 combinaTiON, In 1949. tHE gErman roCkET tEam Was mOved FRoM fOrT bLiss to the Army'S NEw redSTOnE aRSenal, LoCaTed IN huntsviLLe, Alabama, iN 1950. from Here, vOn bRAun And HIs teaM develoPEd ThE ARmy's fiRst OperaTIoNal mEdiUm-RaNge bAlliStic MiSSiLe, thE ReDStoNe rOcket, derivAtIves of which launcHEd BOTh aMERIcA's fIRst satelLiTe, and tHe FiRSt PiLotEd merCury sPAce miSsIoNS. IT becAme the Basis FOr boTh the jupIteR and sAtuRn FAmily of rOcketS.