REDSTONE 
-The Rocket With The Right Stuff

On January 31, 1958, as Clark, another co-operative training student, and I rode through the hills of North Alabama, we strained to listen to the static filled radio newscasts for some hint of news about the launch of a REDSTONE Rocket carrying a satellite.  

After the launch of Sputnik-I and the failure of the Navy’s VANGUARD rocket, Dr. von Braun assured President Eisenhower that our team had the hardware available and could put up a satellite in short order.  That day, a launch attempt was under way at Cape Canaveral, Florida.  

It was with reluctance and regret that Clark and I had turned in our badges at 4:00 pm, checked out of Redstone Arsenal and headed back to Tuscaloosa for the new semester at the University of Alabama, but the University’s registration process waited for no one.  I had spent my last work day in the telemetry checkout station where I had worked many long shifts during the preceding months helping to prepare a REDSTONE rocket for this attempt to bring the U.S. space program even with the Russians.  

What newscasts we could hear, make no mention of a rocket launch.  We went by to see Clark’s mother in Birmingham.  She met us at he door, appearing very excited.  She quickly herded us to the  living room urging us to come see what they were showing on the television.  The REDSTONE Rocket launch had been successful and the EXPLORER-1  satellite was in orbit and sending back data.  The U. S. Army's Rocket Team had entered  the Space Age!

Copyright 2007© Willie E. Weaver 

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