1943 - Launch Vehicle: A9/A10. -
 Further work on the A9/A10 ICBM was prohibited Nation: Germany. All efforts were to be spent on perfection and production of the A4 (V-2) as a weapon-in-being. Von Braun managed to continue some development and flight tests of the A9 under the cover name of A4b (i.e. a modification of the A4, and therefore a production-related project).
1943 During the Year - -
 Malyutka rocket point interceptor design begins. Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Malyutka. The Malyutka rocket point interceptor was designed by Polikarpov beginning in 1943. Prototype construction was underway when Polikarpov died on 30 July 1944. His projects were immediately cancelled after his death.
1943-1944 - Launch Site: Peenemuende. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-2. - A4 guidance development Nation: Germany. Using its original gyroscopic guidance package, the A4 demonstrated a 4.5 km CEP up to 1943, with 100% of the shots falling within 18 km of the target. Many factors contributed to this inaccuracy - out of tolerance guidance system components, and poor alignment of the gyro platform prior to firing. One solution developed was a radio correction system similar to that used by aircraft for landings in poor visibility. A moving radio beam would follow the correct course, and the rocket would manoeuvre to stay within the beam. But there was no support within the Army for full development of such a system - their priority was in developing and deploying distance-measuring radio navigation systems for the aviation forces. A radio guidance unit was not used aboard an A4 until near the war's end, and that used an adaptation of a system designed for a beam-riding air-launched missile. But even using the radio correction technique, the engineers were unable to get the rocket's CEP under 2 km.
References: 693.
During 1943 - - German nuclear-powered rocket development deferred. Nation: Germany. Dornberger contacts Heisenberg on the potential of using nuclear power for rocket propulsion. Heisenberg was able to make no firm commitment as to when such a system would be available. References: 693.
1943 January 8 - Launch Vehicle: JATO. -
 First JATO takeoff. Nation: USA. First aircraft takeoff in United States with permanently installed JATO rocket powerplant, an A-20A at Muroc Army Air Base, Calif. References: 17.
1943 January 8 - Launch Vehicle: V-2. - Showdown meeting on A4 Nation: Germany. Speer meets with Von Braun and Dornberger. A 1:100 model of the planned bunker construction-launch facility for the rocket to be built by Organisation Todt on the British channel was exhibited. Speer reveals that Hitler could not decide about the rocket as a weapon. He did not believe the rocket team's plans could be made to work. But Speer did authorise them to proceed with construction on his own authority - he hoped Hitler could be brought around eventually. But he emphasised that Dornberger would have to use his personal connections to get industry moving on the project. But Dornberger was thwarted when the Army put Degenkolb in charge of organising production of the missile. Degenkolb was a sworn enemy of Dornberger's, and had been implicated in the 'suicide' of General Becker in early 1940. Degenkolb set up a Nazi-supported bureaucracy in parallel to that of Dornberger's, requiring the approval of the Army weapons bureau on any decisions. Degenkolb had the sponsorship of Todt and Saur, who in turn followed the party line - 'like the Fuehrer, we are not yet won over to the concept of a long range missile'.
In order to productionise the A4 design, Degenkolb began authorising many detailed changes. He didn't understand that every change had to be proven in test first, and only incremental steps could be taken. Stahlknecht had planned to produce 300 A4 missiles per month by January 1944, and 600 per month by July 1944. Degenkolb unrealistically decreed that 300 per month be achieved by October 1943, and 900 per month by December 1943.
References: 693.
1943 January 10 - - BI-1 Flight 2 Nation: USSR. Payload: BI-1 # 2 flight 1. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: BI-1. Crew: Bakhchivangi. Maximum Speed - 400 kph. Maximum Altitude - 1110 m. References: 94.
1943 February 1 - Launch Vehicle: Pelican. - First US rocket-powered guided missile. Nation: USA. Navy Engineering Experiment Station Annapolis completed development of rocket engine for Pelican radio-controlled pilotless aircraft (never used operationally). References: 17.
1943 February 3 - Launch Site: Peenemuende. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-2. - Peenemuende privatisation Nation: Germany. In a meeting with Professor Hettlage, of the Financial and Organisational Ministry of the German Defence Industry, it was proposed that Peenemuende be made a private country, with the Nazi Party and selected corporations (AEG, Siemens, Lorenz, Rheinmetall) being its shareholders. Dornberger saw Degenkolb behind this plan, and was determined to keep Peenemuende an Army proving ground. He felt that an asset, on which several hundred million Marks had been invested by the government, was being handed over to private hands for 1 to 2 million Marks. The investors intended to recover their entire investment back on a fee paid for each missile built. In the end Dornberger managed to keep Peenemuende an Army proving ground, but then he had to fight off an attempt by AEG to take over the electronics side of the development team. The rocket team's electronic engineers were years ahead of the rest of the industry, and a tempting target.
References: 693.
1943 February 10 - - BI-1 Flight 3 Nation: USSR. Payload: BI-1 # 2 flight 2. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: BI-1. Crew: Gruzdev. Maximum Speed - 675 kph. Maximum Altitude - 2190 m. Date estimated. References: 94.
March 1943 - Launch Site: Peenemuende. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-2. - A4 production plans Nation: Germany. A4 missiles were to be produced at Peenemuende, Friedrichshafen, and the Raxwerken at Wiener Neustadt. But problems began immediately - the Army expected the rockets to be as easy to build as locomotives; there was no engineering staff or time available to productionise the prototype design; there were no staff available to properly train production engineers and technicians. Degenkolb threatened to imprison the rocket team's engineers if they didn't get the missile into production on schedule. He was oblivious to the difficulties of achieving this.
References: 693.
1943 March 11 - - BI-1 Flight 4 Nation: USSR. Payload: BI-1 # 2 flight 3. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: BI-1. Crew: Bakhchivangi. Maximum Altitude - 4000 m. References: 94.
1943 March 14 - - BI-1 Flight 5 Nation: USSR. Payload: BI-1 # 2 flight 4. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: BI-1. Crew: Bakhchivangi. Maximum Altitude - 4000 m. References: 94.
March 1943 - Launch Vehicle: V-1, V-2. - Hitler's dream Nation: Germany. Hitler dreamed that no A4 missile could ever reach England. The result was that the program lost its priority amidst other pressing armaments programs, and the necessary engineers and production rocket engines could not be obtained. While losing priority, the high security classification remained, so it was not possible to recruit non-German engineers and technicians for the work. The production schedule inevitably slid. Finally the government decided to competitively evaluate the Fi-103 cruise missile (V-1) against the A4 ballistic missile (V-2) leading to the selection of a single weapon for mass production by July of 1943.
References: 693.
1943 March 21 - - BI-1 Flight 6 Nation: USSR. Payload: BI-1 # 3 flight 1. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: BI-1. Crew: Bakhchivangi. References: 94.
1943 March 27 - - BI-1 Flight 7 Nation: USSR. Payload: BI-1 # 3 flight 2. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: BI-1. Crew: Bakhchivangi. Maximum Speed - 800 kph. Unofficial world speed record.The aircraft crashed into the ground, killing the pilot. Plans for production were abandoned. Rocketplane testing in the USSR only resumed with the testing of German designs after the war. References: 94.
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