Rocket, Liquid Fuel, 4 May 1926, Goddard
date: label: Date
content: 1926
name: label: Manufacturer
content: Dr. Robert H. Goddard
notes: label: Summary
content: This device is the oldest surviving liquid-propellant rocket in the world. It was designed and built by U.S. rocket experimenter Robert H. Goddard in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was Goddard's first in which the motor was placed at the base, instead of in the nose. He had used the latter configuration on the world’s first liquid-propellant rocket to fly, which he launched on 16 March 1926. The May rocket likely includes the nozzle from that historic vehicle. His attempt to launch his new rocket on 4 and 5 May 1926 was not successful, as it did not have enough thrust to lift itself.
label: Summary
content: The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation for the Promotion of Aeronautics gave this rocket to the Smithsonian in 1950.
label: Alternate Name
content: Goddard May 1926 Rocket
label: Key Accomplishment(s)
content: Oldest Surviving Liquid-fueled Rocket
label: Impact or Innovation
content: Goddard’s work demonstrated that liquid-fueled rockets were the best possible way to achieve space travel.
label: Brief Description
content: Space travel had been a dream for centuries, but it was not until the early 20th century when a practical method was first understood: rockets propelled by liquid fuel. Robert H. Goddard developed a theory of rocketry and tested the world's first liquid-fueled rockets.
place: label: Country of Origin
content: United States of America
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Air and Space Museum Collection
label: Location
content: National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
label: Exhibition
content: Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Daniel & Florence Guggenheim Foundation
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Air and Space Museum
identifier: label: Inventory Number
content: A19850176000
objectType: label: Type
content: CRAFT-Missiles & Rockets
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Materials
content: Aluminum alloy, steel, asbestos wrapping around pipes
label: Dimensions
content: Overall: 195.6 × 14cm (6 ft. 5 in. × 5 1/2 in.)