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American Rocket Pioneer
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Robert H.
Goddard
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Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882-1945) is considered the father of modern
rocketry. One of Goddard's many firsts was the successful test of the
world's first liquid-propelled rocket.
Goddard was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on October 5, 1882. He
was often ill as a child and had extended absences from school. He
attended college at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he received
his B.S. in 1908. From there he went on to Clark University where he
earned his doctorate, taught physics, and began his experiments with
rockets.
Goddard was, in many way, ahead of his time. His work was not
understood by his colleagues, and he had great difficulty getting
financial support for his experiments. By 1915, he was considering
abandoning his work, since no one else seemed to think it promising.
Goddard's long relationship
with the Smithsonian Institution began when in September 1916 he wrote
a letter to the Institution describing his
rocket experiments, and requesting funds so he could continue with his
work. This letter was received by then Assistant Secretary Charles
Greeley
Abbot. He considered Goddard's work as "sound and ingenious," and
recommended to Secretary Charles Doolittle Walcott that the Smithsonian
should support Goddard's work. On January 5, 1917, Walcott wrote to
Goddard informing him that he received a $5,000 grant from the Hodgkins
Fund for atmospheric research.
The Smithsonian continued supporting Goddard's research for many years,
and in more ways then just financial support. In 1919 the Smithsonian
published Goddard's classic treatise
A Method of Reaching Extreme
Altitudes
in the
Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections
(Vol.
71, No. 2). This publication contains the basic mathematical theory
underlying rocket propulsion and rocket flight.
Goddard often used Abbot as a sounding board for his ideas and his
dreams for his rockets, which was the eventual investigation of space. In
March 1920 he sent a report to the Smithsonian entitled
Report on
Further Developments of the Rocket Method of Investigating Space
.
In this report, which he asked the Smithsonian not to make public at the
time, Goddard set forth his ideas about the exploration of space with and
without an "operator," or in other words manned and unmanned space
flights.
Goddard was extremely grateful
for the support the Smithsonian showed him over the years. In a letter
dated May 28, 1930, Goddard wrote to Abbot
stating that he was "particularly grateful for your interest,
encouragement, and far-sightedness. I feel that I cannot overestimate the
value of your backing, at times when hardly anyone else in the world could
see anything of importance in the undertaking."
On March 16, 1926, Goddard successfully launched the world's first
flight of a liquid-propelled rocket. This is often compared in its
significance to the Wright Brothers first flight in 1903. Another
important first came on July 17, 1929, when Goddard tested the first
rocket to carry scientific instruments. The rocket carried a barometer and
a camera.
Robert Goddard made great contributions to the development of rockets
and space flight. He is credited with 214 patents, with 131 filed after
his death. Goddard died on August 10, 1945, from throat cancer. On May 1,
1959, the National Air and Space Administration (NASA) established the
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in his memory.
- September
27, 1916 - Goddard's Proposal to the Smithsonian
- October
2, 1916 - Assistant Secretary Abbot to Secretary Walcott on Goddard's
Proposal
- December
15, 1916 - Goddard Rocket Apparatus Patent
- December
16, 1916 - Assistant Secretary Abbot to Secretary Walcott on Goddard's
Proposal
- January
5, 1917 - Secretary Walcott to Goddard Approving the Grant
- January
9, 1917 - Goddard to Secretary Walcott After Receiving
Grant
- March
1920 - "Report Concerning Further Developments" in Space
Travel
- May
5, 1926 - Report from Goddard to Assistant Secretary Abbot. The report
includes Goddard's account of the March 16, 1926, test flight of the
first successful liquid-propellant rocket.
- May
28, 1930 - Goddard to Secretary Abbot Thanking Smithsonian for its
Support
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