Historical Photo Of The Month - June 2003

Sergeant Testing, 1956
Photograph Number 293-2589

In January 1956, JPL conducted a flight test of the Sergeant solid propellant guided missile. This image shows the aft motor section of Round Two, which impacted the ground at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

A series of eight feasibility flights from 1956 to 1957 "...evaluated the development of a propulsion and airframe vehicle and served as flight tests of early versions of the guidance and launching elements of the system." Later phases of testing were referred to as experimental model rounds and engineering model rounds, and the missile design was constantly refined, based on testing results. The work was done under contract to the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps. [Sergeant Final Report, No. 20-137]

For more information about Sergeant, or about the history of JPL, please contact the JPL Archives.

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