Bumper Veterans Oral History Project (2000 Kennedy Space Center.)

At 9:28 in the morning, on July 24, 1950, Bumper WAC 8 was the first rocket fired from Cape Canaveral, FL. The Bumper Project was America's first large two-stage rocket, containing a WAC Corporal missile mounted to the nose of a V-2 rocket. The project was initiated by Army Ordnance in October 1946. General Electric was assigned overall responsibility for the Bumper Program.

The first six Bumper flights were launched from White Sands Proving Ground, NM from May 1948 to April 1949. Most successful was Bumper 5, launched on February 24, 1949. The launch set new altitude record of 250 miles, and became the first man-made object to reach extraterrestrial space. In order for continued testing of missiles at high speeds in the lower atmosphere, an over-water firing range was required, due to the large potential impact area of the unguided WAC.

The Long Range Proving Ground (LRPG) at Cape Canaveral was established and activated on October 1, 1949, for use of testing guided missiles for greater distances than could be done at other places. The main base was formerly called the Banana River Naval Air Station. The first missile to be fired at Cape Canaveral was the Bumper WAC, Round 8, on July 24, 1950. Round 7, postponed due to malfunctioning equipment, was launched five days later at the LRPG.