Posted on Jun 9, 2019
TBT: Robert Goddard Is Granted Another Patent for Rocketry
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On June 9, 1931, the first rocket-powered aircraft design was patented by Robert Goddard. From an earlier article:
"Throwback Thursday: Robert Goddard Is Granted Another Patent for Rocketry
He obtained the patent for 'propulsion of aircraft' 85 years ago.
By Madeline Bilis· 6/9/2016, 9:07 a.m.
Dr. Robert Goddard obtained a total of 214 patents during his lifetime. The Worcester native is remembered as the father of modern rocket propulsion—but during the time of his inventions, most people just thought he was crazy.
On June 9, 1931, he was granted a patent for “propulsion of aircraft.” According to NASA, the invention basically used a rocket to create thrust for an aircraft. The patent certainly contributed to Goddard’s pioneering work in rocketry, but for a while, he faced an army of skeptics. The commander of that army seemed to be the New York Times.
When Goddard first began experimenting with rockets, an editorial page feature published in 1920 shot him down:
“That Professor Goddard with his ‘chair’ in Clark College and the countenancing of the Smithsonian Institution, does not know the relation of the action to reaction, and of the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react—to say that would be absurd. Of course he only seems to lack the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.”
The Times denounced Goddard and the possibility of space travel in one swoop. However, the newspaper famously retracted the article on July 17, 1969, the night before Apollo 11 was scheduled to launch to the moon. Six years after that takedown, Goddard successfully launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn on March 16, 1926.
In between introducing inventions and filing for patents, Goddard had to deal with the inhabitants of Auburn and Worcester. During his final launch in Auburn, Goddard’s 11-foot rocket roared into the sky. According to the National Park Service, the launch was successful for Goddard, but alarming for everyone else.
Observers thought the sight was an airplane engulfed in flames, and called for ambulances. Then, wire services put out reports that the rocket had exploded in the air. Bouts of bad publicity didn’t faze the inventor, though, and eventually Charles Lindbergh caught wind of Goddard’s efforts and helped him to gain the support of the Guggenheim Foundation for further research.
It wasn’t until 1942, when Germany launched the first missile that reached space, did other scientists recognize the importance of Goddard’s work. He passed away on August 10, 1945. Less than 20 years later, NASA dedicated the Goddard Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to the inventor."
"Throwback Thursday: Robert Goddard Is Granted Another Patent for Rocketry
He obtained the patent for 'propulsion of aircraft' 85 years ago.
By Madeline Bilis· 6/9/2016, 9:07 a.m.
Dr. Robert Goddard obtained a total of 214 patents during his lifetime. The Worcester native is remembered as the father of modern rocket propulsion—but during the time of his inventions, most people just thought he was crazy.
On June 9, 1931, he was granted a patent for “propulsion of aircraft.” According to NASA, the invention basically used a rocket to create thrust for an aircraft. The patent certainly contributed to Goddard’s pioneering work in rocketry, but for a while, he faced an army of skeptics. The commander of that army seemed to be the New York Times.
When Goddard first began experimenting with rockets, an editorial page feature published in 1920 shot him down:
“That Professor Goddard with his ‘chair’ in Clark College and the countenancing of the Smithsonian Institution, does not know the relation of the action to reaction, and of the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react—to say that would be absurd. Of course he only seems to lack the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.”
The Times denounced Goddard and the possibility of space travel in one swoop. However, the newspaper famously retracted the article on July 17, 1969, the night before Apollo 11 was scheduled to launch to the moon. Six years after that takedown, Goddard successfully launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn on March 16, 1926.
In between introducing inventions and filing for patents, Goddard had to deal with the inhabitants of Auburn and Worcester. During his final launch in Auburn, Goddard’s 11-foot rocket roared into the sky. According to the National Park Service, the launch was successful for Goddard, but alarming for everyone else.
Observers thought the sight was an airplane engulfed in flames, and called for ambulances. Then, wire services put out reports that the rocket had exploded in the air. Bouts of bad publicity didn’t faze the inventor, though, and eventually Charles Lindbergh caught wind of Goddard’s efforts and helped him to gain the support of the Guggenheim Foundation for further research.
It wasn’t until 1942, when Germany launched the first missile that reached space, did other scientists recognize the importance of Goddard’s work. He passed away on August 10, 1945. Less than 20 years later, NASA dedicated the Goddard Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to the inventor."
TBT: Robert Goddard Is Granted Another Patent for Rocketry
Posted from bostonmagazine.com
World History
Military History
American History
NASA
Space
Posted >1 y ago
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Excellent history share brother David, have a great evening brother .
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I remember reading about this in the 1970s. As you know, Wernher von Braun took good notes and 20 years later you had your Vengeance 2 weapons damaging London with a 2000 pound Warhead. Wernher von Braun was the grandfather of the scud missile. Dr. Goddard was the great-grandfather of the scud missile.
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