Robert H. Goddard

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03.04.25

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Rocketry Research and Development (1914-1941)

Personal Life and Relationships (1882-1945)

Funding and Recognition (1916-1945)

World War II and Naval Work (1941-1945)

Early Life and Education (1882-1914)

Main Milestones

Birth in Worcester, Massachusetts

October 5, 1882

Robert Hutchings Goddard was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, to Nahum Danford Goddard and Fannie Louise Hoyt Goddard. His early childhood was marked by bouts of poor health, which often kept him confined indoors, fostering a love for reading and imaginative pursuits. This period likely contributed to his independent thinking and self-reliance, traits essential for his later groundbreaking work.

The Cherry Tree Inspiration

October 19, 1899

While climbing a cherry tree to prune it, Goddard had a profound and transformative experience. He envisioned the possibility of traveling to Mars. This 'moment of clarity' became a lifelong driving force, solidifying his commitment to developing rockets for space travel. He commemorated this day annually throughout his life.

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Brief

Known For

Creating and building the world's first liquid-fueled rocket.

Daily Chronicle

17 July, 1969

The New York Times published a correction to their 1920 editorial that ridiculed Robert Goddard's ideas about rockets functioning in a vacuum. This correction, published the day after the launch of Apollo 11, acknowledged that rockets can function in a vacuum, thus vindicating Goddard's earlier work.

16 March, 1926

Robert Goddard launched the world's first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts. The rocket, fueled with gasoline and liquid oxygen, rose 41 feet and traveled 184 feet in 2.5 seconds. This event marked a significant milestone in the development of rocketry and space exploration, demonstrating the feasibility of liquid-fueled rockets. Crew chief Henry Sachs, Esther Goddard, and Percy Roope, assistant professor in the physics department at Clark accompanied Goddard at the launch.

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Robert H. Goddard

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