ABSTRACT
The invention of the rocket presupposes the existence and practical use of gunpowder, so it is not surprising that rockets in fact originated in China, where gunpowder had been invented and was in use for military purposes as early as the beginning of the 10th century. Rockets require gunpowder which contains at least 70% 0saltpetre and 20% charcoal, and under 10% sulphur. Such gunpowder was already in use in China in the early 12th century for the manufacture of fireworks and firecrackers. The Muslim world played a crucial role in cultural and scientific exchanges between East and West, and a study of the Arab role in the transmission of gunpowder and rockets casts additional light on the question of their place of origin. There is no clear proof that gunpowder and rockets were known in any other country earlier than in China. J. Dubois maintained that rockets were invented in India.
