Magdeburg Starter 10L

While most people credit the Soviets with building the first manned rocket, the Germans were also going to try their own, way before back in 1932. It was built by Rudolf Nebel, with an aim to build rockets, that could reach the moon, which at the time was believed to be on 5000km away. 10L wasn’t deemed to be a moon rocket but was set to lay the foundation. It was called 10L because it only held 10 Litters of liquid fuel.

10L was set to fly, with pilot Hans Hüter riding as passenger, on the first manned rocket. It was planned that he would jump from the rocket at 1000m, with the rest of the rocket flying unmanned to the height of 20km.

Testing for the vehicle took place between March 1933 and September, with a few short launches taking place

However German leadership was changing at the time and wanted the Rocket society to only focus on rockets built for war. In 1934 the German government banned private rocketry, which was the end of 10L.

While 10L might not have gotten the title of the first manned rocket, it showed just how ambitious the German thinking was behind rocketry, early on.

Source: Magdeburger Startgerät (10-L) – Wikipedia