I think it was a little bit more directed than that - a way to conduct advanced ballistic missile research, and to show off how good your ballistic missiles wer

I think it was a little bit more directed than that - a way to conduct advanced ballistic missile research, and to show off how good your ballistic missiles were, without looking too warlike. Before the invention of the Minuteman, the space program was using the same rockets as the ICBMs, I think.