A Timeline of Rocket History

This graphical presentation includes a collection of more than 50 images tracing rocketry from ancient times to the present day. It includes photographs, paintings, and drawings made by artists from both within and outside NASA.

This collection is in line with the Marshall Space Flight Center's historic role in providing propulsion systems for NASA. It is intended to serve as a tool for education and a resource for persons who enjoy learning about the history of rocketry.

• Rockets in Ancient Times (100 B.C. to 17th Century)
• Rockets for Warfare (18th through 19th Centuries)
• Rockets as Inventions (Late 19th Century)
• Rockets in Science Fiction (Late 19th Century)
• Rockets Enter the 20th Century (Early to Mid-20th Century)
• Rockets for the Army (1950s)
• Rockets for the Moon Race (1960s)
• Rockets for Space Exploration (1970s -1990s)