It was an abbreviation for rocketeer, a title all of them had once carried.
"Rip Foster in Ride the Gray Planet"
Harold Leland Goodwin
The Scorpius had sent piloted snapper-boats over the asteroid at high speed, crisscrossing in order to cover the thorium world completely, expecting to have the unknown rocketeer fire at them.
"Rip Foster in Ride the Gray Planet"
Harold Leland Goodwin
Blast off at two, jet down at three On the dead dry dusty sphere What sort of a life is this for me, A veteran rocketeer?
"The Giants From Outer Space"
Geoff St. Reynard