Juno

Juno II is a US Army rocket built by Wernher von Braun's team from the Jupiter missile, topped with clusters of small solid rockets. From 1958 to 1961 it sends Pioneer 3 and Pioneer 4 toward the Moon, Pioneer 4 becoming the first American spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity, and launches Explorer satellites, though half of its launches fail.

Launches

10

Success rate

50%

5 failures

First flight

6 December 1958

Pioneer 3

Last flight

24 May 1961

S-45A

Builder

Chrysler

Height

24 m

Diameter

2.7 m

Stages

4

Propellants

Kerosene / LOX, Solid

Payload to LEO

41 kg