In this video we examine the peculiar properties of a toy gyroscope and show how they were harnessed to stabilise and guide the WWII German V2 rocket and the USA's giant Saturn V that took humans to the Moon.

00:00 Introduction
00:17 firework rocket launch
00:45 Active principle
01:14 The hovering V2 rocket
02:07 Brains of the rocket?
02:20 V2 Gyroscope guidance
03:14 Carbon jet vanes
03:31 Looking at V2 Gyros
04:56 Toy Gyroscope
07:52 Build a rocket gyro
08:58 The demonstration
09:51 Gimbal-lock
10:17 Measurement
11:45 Go electric
12:24 Gyro relics
12:38 Gyro air rotor
13:07 Artificial horizon rotor
13:18 Balancing of rotor
13:39 PIGA gyro rotor
13:50 S-75 Dvina gyro
14:29 Summary
14:40 More like this?

Presented by Robert J Dalby.

For more information on the technology and history of the A4-V2 missile visit our website at: http://www.v2rockethistory.com.

Produced by DB Video Services for Astronomy and Nature TV