Jupiter-A

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. 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.

Description

Jupiter-A is 21.20 meters high, with a diameter of 1.78 meters, and a height of 4 meters for the fins.
The first two flights, RS-11 and RS-12, 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 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.

Flight history

Twenty-five Jupiter-A launch attempts were made between 1955 and 1958 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

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
2	RS-12 / RS-HU	December 6, 1955	LC-6	First flight successful with inertial guidance
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.
4	RS-19 / RS-HE	May 16, 1956	LC-6
5	CC-13 / CC-HN	July 19, 1956	LC-5	First missile built by the Chrysler Corporation
6	RS-20 / RS-UX	August 8, 1956	LC-6
7	CC-14 / CC-HT	October 18, 1956	LC-6
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.
9	RS-28 / RS-UL	November 14, 1956	LC-6	LEV-3 guidance system used instead of ST-80
10	CC-15 / CC-HS	November 29, 1956	LC-6
11	RS-22 / RS-UU	December 19, 1956	LC-6	Hydyne fuel used
12	CC-16 / CC-HV	January 19, 1957	LC-6
13	RS-32	March 14, 1957	LC-6	First missile shipped directly from Chrysler to the test site
14	CC-30 / CC-NX	March 28, 1957	LC-6
15	CC-31 / CC-NH	June 26, 1957	LC-6
16	CC-35 / CC-NS	July 12, 1957	LC-6
17	CC-37 / CC-NI	July 26, 1957	LC-6
18	CC-38 / CC-NL	September 11, 1957	LC-6
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.
20	CC-41 / CC-TH	October 31, 1957	LC-6
21	CC-42 / CC-TU	December 11, 1957	LC-6	Hardtack I\|Hardtack] adapter kit test
22	CC-45 / CC-TS	January 15, 1958	LC-6	Hardtack gondola test
23	CC-46 / CC-TV	February 12, 1958	LC-6	Hardtack adapter kit test
24	CC-43 / CC-TN	February 27, 1958	LC-6
25	CC-48 / CC-TL	June 11, 1958	LC-6