Like the Mercury Redstone rocket which was used to launch Alan Shepard on his sub-orbital flight, the Canadian Arrow is based on the V2 rocket, developed during World War II. The Canadian Arrow will use a launch table, similar to the ones used to launch both the V2 and the Mercury Redstone rockets.

Specifically, the Canadian Arrow borrows the overall aerodynamic shape and main engine thrust chamber directly from the V2 rocket. However, the majority of our vehicle is uniquely designed using modern materials and technology.

The V2 technology, although discarded in the 1950's, could have been used to launch mankind into space even earlier in our history. In fact, the British Interplanetary Society had produced plans (shown at left) for a V2 rocket to carry a man into space.

We have included this page as a portal to other V2 websites, with some fascinating articles. You will find that we are not the only ones to have considered using the V2 for manned sub-orbital spaceflight.

We would like to express our thanks to Emily Perry, Director of the Air Force Space and Missile Museum, at Cape Canaveral Air Station, for allowing us a close inspection of their V2 engine display.

Links:

The A4/V2 Resource Site

White Sands Missile Range

Article on Manned V2 Rocket

Low Earth Orbit on the Cheap

A rocket a day keeps the high costs away

Big Dumb Rockets

The Cosmosphere is one of the world's premier space museums, and are currently working on the refurbishment of a V2 rocket. Thanks go to James Remar, curator of the museum, for allowing a detailed inspection and documentation of the artifact during September, 2001.