Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882–1945)

In an age when space travel is commonplace it is hard to realize that 70-80 years ago it was considered "impossible". In this age of the X-Prize it is important to remember what Robert Goddard accomplished in a few short years with research money coming from the Smithsonian and the Guggenheim Foundation. America did not pay attention. The Germans, who went on to develop the V-2 rocket, did. This three volume set, published over 40 years ago, documents Goddard's thinking and research on developing the modern rocket. Oddly enough, Goddard got a chance to view a V-2 up close before he passed away. He and his crew were stunned at how closely the Germans had followed his research and how similar the V-2 was to the rockets he had built.… (mehr)

Rockets: Two Classic Papers is a collection of two papers by Robert H. Goddard. The book applies mathematics and physics to the practical problem of attaining sub-orbital heights with Rockets. Although he was ridiculed by the press and encountered indifference from his colleagues, Goddard persevered in times of trouble and continued to make adjustments, studying all the while.

The first paper is called “A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes.” This is Rocket Science in its nascent stages. It was the first time someone tried to apply the methods of engineering to such a problem, but that doesn’t really show here. Goddard employs the same tools and techniques that modern Rocket Scientists would use, only this was published in 1919. It isn’t as though Physics has changed all that much. While it is true that Quantum Mechanics was fleshed out, that doesn’t really have a bearing on Rocket Science.

The math is easy enough to follow, and the variables used are all explained. The only Greek letter I was able to spot so far was rho, for air density. The final summary tells it like it is, and states that Rockets are useful for this application. Rockets are more useful than Balloons since Balloons require air to displace and the upper atmosphere quickly loses that as you gain altitude.

The second paper is titled “Liquid-Propellant Rocket Development.” This paper was published in 1935 and contains a report on his experiments into rockets. Contained throughout both papers are several images documenting his patents and the locations of his experiments.… (mehr)