after world war ii, the united states experimented with captured german v-2 rockets as part of the hermes project. based on these experiments the u.s. decided in 1946 to develop its own large liquid-fueled rocket design, to be called "neptune" but changed to "viking." the intent was to provide an independent u.s. capability in rocketry, to continue the hermes project after the v-2s were expended, and to provide a vehicle better suited to scientific research. the navy, in particular, needed a vehicle to study the atmosphere and learn how to predict bad weather which would affect the fleet.