Hermes program facts for kids
The first Hermes A-1 test rocket, fired at White Sands Proving Ground
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| Function | A-1: Experimental |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | A-1 (1946): General Electric |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | A-1: 300 in (7.6 m) A-3B: 396 in (10.1 m) |
| Diameter | A-1: 34+5⁄8 in (88 cm) A-3B: 47 in (120 cm) |
| Mass | A-1: 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) A-3B: 5,139 lb (2,331 kg) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | White Sands Proving Ground |
| Total launches | 58 |
| Failures | A-3B: 1 (1953–1954) |
| Boosters | |
| Thrust | A-3B: 22,600 pounds-force (101,000 N) |
Project Hermes was a special program by the United States Army. It ran from 1944 to 1954. The main goal was to create new missiles. This was in response to Germany's rocket attacks during World War II.
The Army worked with a company called General Electric. Together, they wanted to build long-range missiles. These missiles could hit targets on the ground or planes high in the sky.
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The Start of Project Hermes
Project Hermes was the second missile program for the U.S. Army. Before this, in 1944, the Army started the ORDCIT project. That project focused on guided missiles.
The Hermes program had a few main steps. First, they looked at all the existing information about missiles. Then, a team went to Europe to study German missiles. Finally, they planned to design and build their own experimental rockets.
This project covered almost everything about missile technology. It included the A1 and A2 missiles, the A3 missiles, and other Hermes missiles and research.
In November 1944, the Army signed a contract with General Electric. General Electric agreed to research, design, and build long-range missiles. They also looked into different types of rocket engines. These included ramjets and liquid fuel engines. They also had to develop control systems and ground equipment.
Studying German V-2 Rockets
In December 1944, Project Hermes was given an important task. They had to study the German V-2 rocket. This rocket was very advanced for its time. The project needed to learn how to transport, handle, and test V-2 parts. They also had to assemble and launch the rockets.
To test these new missiles safely, the Army needed a large area. So, they created the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This became the main testing site.
After World War II, American forces captured German rocket engineers. One of them was Wernher von Braun. They also found many V-2 rocket parts. These parts were shipped to White Sands. For the next five years, Project Hermes focused on the V-2. They repaired, built, and launched V-2 rockets. Many of the original V-2 parts were in bad shape.
V-2 Rocket Launches
After the German V-2 technology arrived, the U.S. Army formed a group to oversee experiments. This group included scientists from General Electric. The Hermes project began testing V-2 rockets.
General Electric workers, with help from German experts, assembled V-2s. They launched them from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The first V-2 launch there was on April 16, 1946. It only went up about 3.4 miles.
The highest a Project Hermes V-2 ever went was 114 miles. This happened on December 17, 1946. In total, Project Hermes launched 58 standard V-2s. They also launched some modified V-2s. The last Hermes V-2 flight was on October 29, 1951.
The V-2 program helped Project Hermes reach its goals. They learned how to handle and fire large missiles. They also trained Army staff to launch them. The project also tested parts for future missiles. It gathered important data about how rockets fly high in the atmosphere.
Hermes II: A New Design
One of the early goals for Project Hermes was to create a new type of missile called Hermes B. This was meant to be a ramjet-powered cruise missile. A ramjet is a type of jet engine. Hermes B later became Hermes II.
In 1946, General Electric's contract was changed. It now included a two-stage missile. The first stage would be a V-2 rocket. The second stage would be a ramjet-powered cruise missile. The Wernher von Braun team worked on the ramjet part. They called it the "Comet."
Hermes II was designed to be a very fast cruise missile. A V-2 rocket would launch it to a speed of Mach 3.3 (over three times the speed of sound). This would happen at 66,000 feet high. Then, the ramjets would start working.
The Hermes II had an unusual design. It had two large rectangular "wings" that also acted as the ramjets. This design made it hard to control. It was often unstable when flying.
The first Hermes II test missile was launched on May 29, 1947. It landed in Mexico by accident. This caused an international problem. Later tests helped gather data. However, the next Hermes II missile broke apart after launch in 1949. Two more flights also failed.
By 1950, the Hermes II project was focused only on research. The idea of a ramjet cruise missile was stopped in 1953.
Hermes A-1 and A-3B Missiles
General Electric started developing the Hermes A-1 rocket in 1946. It was about 25-foot (7.6 m) long and made mostly of steel. It was like a smaller American version of Germany's Wasserfall anti-aircraft missile.
The Hermes A-1 used a new type of engine. This engine had a special fuel injector. This design was very important for future rocket engines in the U.S. However, there were problems with the engine's combustion.
Parts of the Hermes A-1 were tested on V-2 flights in 1947 and 1948. The Army decided not to use Hermes A-1 as an anti-aircraft missile. Instead, they focused on using it to hit ground targets.
The first Hermes A-1 flight was on May 19, 1950. It failed shortly after launch. Other flights also had problems. They showed the missile could work, but it wasn't fully successful.
Work continued on other Hermes A-1 designs, like the A-1E-1 and A-1E-2. These were meant to be tactical missiles. However, another missile called the Corporal showed more promise. So, the Hermes A-1E-2 was canceled in 1952, followed by the A-1E-1.
The Hermes A-3A and A-3B were slightly larger missiles. The A-3B was the last missile tested in the Hermes program. It was designed to be a tactical surface-to-surface missile. It could carry a 1,000-pound (450 kg) warhead.
In 1954, six A-3B missiles were launched at White Sands Missile Range. Five of these launches were successful. The Hermes A-3 program also helped develop the first inertial guidance system for a ballistic missile.
None of the Hermes missiles were ever used in real operations. However, they provided valuable experience. This experience helped engineers design and build future large-scale missiles and rocket engines. The entire Hermes program ended in 1954.
Other Hermes Projects
Some Hermes missiles were planned but never flew. There was also a study called Hermes C-1. This study directly led to the very successful PGM-11 Redstone missile.
