MythBusters Episode 40: Confederate Rocket

During the American Civil War, the Confederacy built and launched a two stage rocket 120 miles from Richmond, Virginia to Washington D.C.

busted

While the MythBusters were able to construct and launch a hybrid rocket in under two days using only properties available to Civil War-era engineers, the rocket was not two stage, as per the myth and only travelled an estimated 500 yards. Adam and Jamie agreed that the myth would be impossible with the technology available during the civil war.

(A spin-off of this myth was confirmed in episode 51 and again in episode 64: A hybrid rocket can be propelled with salami.)