[Illustration: 1. Robert H. Goddard beside his liquid-fuel rocket
prior to launch on March 16, 1926.]
[Illustration: 2. “It looked almost magical as it rose, without any
appreciable greater noise or flame, as if it said, ‘I’ve been here
long enough; I think I’ll be going somewhere else’....”—Robert H.
Goddard.]
[Illustration: 3. Rocket with turbopumps on its assembly frame in
the Goddard shop at Roswell, New Mexico, 1940.]
Robert H. Goddard contributed the first major astronautical breakthrough
on our way to space exploration—a liquid-propellant rocket. A replica of
the first successful rocket of this type is displayed in this hall as is
Dr. Goddard’s last sounding rocket design.
The first of Dr. Goddard’s successful rockets was launched on March 16,
1926. It traveled to an altitude of 12.5 meters (41 feet) powered by
liquid oxygen and gasoline. Its flight lasted 2.5 seconds with an
average speed in flight of about 96.6 kilometers (60 miles) per hour.
Part of the rocket’s nozzle was burned away during the flight, and other
parts were damaged by ground impact; however, pieces of the original
rocket were reassembled and flown again on April 3, 1926.
The last and most advanced of Dr. Goddard’s liquid-propellant rockets
were those tested between 1939 and 1941. This series incorporated most
of the basic principles and elements later used in all long-range
rockets and space boosters. Design improvements for this series included
a fuel system that used turbopumps to force propellants from the tanks
to the combustion chamber. The rocket on display did not fly, because a
malfunction in the umbilical cord caused the engine to shut down shortly
after ignition.
The March 16 rocket replica is from the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration. The 1941 rocket is from Mrs. Robert H. Goddard.