The Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) was established in 1956 as a part of the United States Army. Its primary mission was to develop and test ballistic missile systems, which are weapons designed to deliver explosive payloads over long distances. ABMA played a crucial role in the early stages of the U.S. missile program during the Cold War. ABMA was responsible for the development of the Redstone missile, which was the first large-scale ballistic missile developed by the U.S. Army. The agency also contributed to the early stages of the Apollo program, working on the Saturn I launch vehicle. In 1960, ABMA was dissolved, and its functions were transferred to the newly formed NASA and the Army Missile Command.