US Navy Launches First V-2 Rocket from Carrier on Sept. 6, 1947

On September 6, 1947, the U.S. Navy successfully launched a V‑2 rocket from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, marking the first time a ballistic missile had been fired from a naval vessel. The test, conducted off the coast of California, demonstrated that a carrier could serve as a mobile launch platform, a capability that would later be leveraged for both military deterrence and space exploration.

The demonstration proved that the Navy could project missile power at sea, reducing the need for fixed launch sites and increasing operational flexibility. It also provided valuable data on the stresses of carrier deck operations, guidance systems, and recovery procedures, informing subsequent missile programs such as the Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missile and the Navy’s early space launch efforts. By showing that a ship could reliably launch a V‑2, the Navy opened a new dimension in strategic planning during the early Cold War.

This event laid groundwork for the development of sea‑based launch vehicles that would become integral to both defense and civilian space programs. It underscored the importance of mobility and rapid deployment in missile technology, influencing U.S. naval strategy and contributing to the eventual establishment of the U.S. space launch infrastructure that would later support the Apollo missions and beyond.