Because of the large available space, empty buildings, and ease of access to rail, highway, and water traffic, the Army chose Redstone as the place to consolidate its newly formed rocket program.

On January 31, 1961, a chimpanzee by the name of Ham blasted off on a Mercury-Redstone rocket and became the first hominid to go to space. Ham reached an altitude of 157 miles during a 16 and a ...

Maria von Braun, widow of rocket pioneer Wernher von Braun and a prominent figure in America's early space program, died Jan.