Rocket, Liquid Fuel, Hoopskirt, R.H. Goddard
date: label: Date
content: 1928
name: label: Manufacturer
content: Dr. Robert H. Goddard
notes: label: Summary
content: American rocket pioneer Dr. Robert H. Goddard launched the Hoopskirt rocket on December 26, 1928, near Worcester, Massachusetts. It was so-named because it resembled a hoopskirt, a ladies’ fashion of the late 19th century. Goddard made no effort to build the rocket as a streamlined vehicle. He only wanted to test the operation of his rocket motor and make the vehicle as light as possible.
label: Summary
content: Goddard attempted to launch it on 18 July 1928, but the rocket jammed in the launch tower. Finally on 26 December 1928, on the fourth try, the Hoopskirt cleared the tower and flew for 3.2 seconds, covering a distance of 204.5 feet (62 m). It was Goddard's third liquid-fuel rocket flight. His first was on 16 March 1926. The rocket was donated to the Smithsonian by Mrs. Robert H. Goddard in 1959 and is a reconstruction, as the flimsy structure was smashed by the flight.
label: Alternate Name
content: Goddard Hoopskirt Rocket
label: Key Accomplishment(s)
content: Early Liquid-Fuel Rocket
label: Brief Description
content: American rocket pioneer Dr. Robert H. Goddard launched the Hoopskirt rocket on December 26, 1928, near Worcester, Massachusetts. It was Goddard's third liquid-fuel rocket flight. The design resembles a hoopskirt, a ladies’ fashion of the late 19th century.
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: Mrs. Robert H. Goddard
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Air and Space Museum
identifier: label: Inventory Number
content: A19590090000
objectType: label: Type
content: CRAFT-Missiles & Rockets
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Materials
content: Steel and aluminum
label: Dimensions
content: 3-D: 121.9 × 121.9 × 447cm, 13.2kg (4 ft. × 4 ft. × 14 ft. 8 in., 29lb.)