Hitlers missiles: the aggregate rocket program.

During WWI the Germans used rockets solely for illumination or signal purposes. Those rockets were exclusively solid fuel. In the interwar period, army ordnance section one had a renewed interest in rocketry with innovations in the field of solid fuels and smokeless powder. The expressed interest was in using solid fuel rockets to launch poison gas attacks against the enemy. A much greater reality came to the Germans with the advancement of liquid fueled missiles. …

…Crossbow" which were similar to The United States' operation. The French and the Russians all wanted some of the expertise that the Germans possessed as well. Most of the group was sent to White Sands Proving Grounds to set up some V-2 launches. The new technology was used for the development of anti-aircraft missiles and also ICBMs. The Soviets got an early start on their space program, and as a result there was Sputnik in 1957.