The German WWII Superweapon That Launched America's Space Program

The last gasp of Nazi Germany's military apparatus didn't turn the tide of war. But the V-2 rocket was still a terrifying invention. It loomed as large as a building; it was the first manmade projectile to reach the edge of space; and it traveled at supersonic speeds — which means you only heard it coming after it hit its target. The most terrifying thing might have been the cost of building such a weapon — and we're not talking about Reichsmarks. But despite how many people lost their lives to build this German superweapon, the United States still hired its inventor, and installed him at the top of our space program.