First Successful V-2 Rocket Launch

On October 3, 1942, the first successful launch of the A-4 rocket (later renamed V-2) occurred at Peenemünde research facility. Developed by a team led by Wernher von Braun and Walter Dornberger, this revolutionary rocket became the world's first long-range guided ballistic missile. The V-2 reached a height of 84.5 km and traveled 190 km, marking a major milestone in rocket technology. It would later be used by Nazi Germany as a weapon against Allied targets and subsequently influence post-war space programs.