Schematic Diagram of a V-2 Rocket Design Mouse Mat

The V-2 rocket (German: Vergeltungswaffe 2, i.e. reprisal weapon 2), technical name Aggregat-4 (A4), was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known non-human-piloted artefact to achieve sub-orbital spaceflight. It was the progenitor of all modern rockets, including those used by the United States and Soviet Union's space programs. During the aftermath of World War II the American, Soviet and British governments all gained access to the V-2's technical designs and the actual German scientists responsible for creating the rockets, via Operation Paperclip, Operation Osoaviakhim and Operation Backfire. Image reproduction rights can be found in the link near the bottom of this description. Sign up to Mr. Rebates for FREE and save 12% on any zazzle order in addition to a $5.00 sign up bonus All Rights Reserved; without: prejudice, recourse or notice (U.C.C. 1-308) Image Reproduction Rights: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:V-2_rocket_diagram_%28with_English_labels%29.svg rocket missle "v-2" "v-2 rocket" "v-2 missle" Vergeltungswaffe "Aggregat-4" "Vergeltungswaffe 2" "world war II" weapon "world war 2" "world war two" "german rocket" "german missle" chart diagram "missle chart" "missle diagram" "world war II weapon" "world war II missle" "ballistic missle" "first missle" "first rocket" v2 "v2 missle" "v2 rocket" missel "operation paperclip" "operation osoaviakhim" "operation backfire" "long range missle" "long range rocket"