The Jupiter-A was an American sounding rocket and test vehicle derived from the Redstone ballistic missile, developed in the mid-1950s by Redstone Arsenal and Chrysler. It was the first variant of the Redstone to fly, and served as a testbed for components intended for use in the PGM-19 Jupiter medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM). Components tested aboard Jupiter-A flights included the Redstone ST-80 inertial guidance platform, Jupiter angle-of-attack sensors, warhead fuzing systems, and explosive bolts. The vehicle stood 21.20 metres (69.6 ft) tall with a diameter of 1.78 metres (5.8 ft). A total of twenty-five launches were conducted from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, using Launch Complexes 5 and 6, between September 1955 and June 1958.
== Description == Jupiter-A was 21.20 metres (69.6 ft) tall, with a body diameter of 1.78 metres (5.8 ft) and fins extending 4 metres (13 ft) in height. The first two flights, RS-11 and RS-12 (launched on September 22, 1955 and December 6, 1955), 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 A-5 version never entered service). The rocket used a fuel consisting of 75% ethanol cut with 25% water and liquid oxygen as oxidizer. Jupiter-A RS-22 tested an 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.
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== See also == Jupiter-C Juno I
