Collection Items

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  ItemStill Image1920sphotograph

  Disassembled liquid oxygen tank

  Photograph of a disassembled liquid oxygen tank developed by Robert Goddard in December 1925.

  Following December 6, 1925 (the day Goddard achieved the first liquid-fuel rocket to lift its own weight), he realized a successful launch required making the rocket as streamlined and light as possible. Despite working for years to develop pumps and engines for rockets, he would now be relying on the pressure of oxygen evaporated within a liquid oxygen tank. It is important to note that many sources incorrectly claim that forgoing the pumps and engines is the breakthrough that made the December 6 lift possible, but this is untrue. Goddard writes in both his diary and subsequent reports about using pumps and engines in the December 6 test, as well as the realization that he would need to eliminate them in order to produce a light enough rocket to achieve that first launch.

  The liquid oxygen tank in this photograph was the first iteration used in preliminary tests to determine alterations and adjustments necessary for a successful rocket launch (which would take place March 16, 1926). A photograph of this tank fully assembled can be seen in Figure 102. These tanks would be modified in several ways leading up to the March 16, 1926 launch. Figures 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, and 115. show later finalized versions of the tanks used on March 16, 1926.

  The tall carton on the left holds the liquid oxygen and is made of paper and lined with thick sheet brass. This rested on a large and thin circular disk of cork, seen on the bottom right. This disk rested at the bottom of a bottom half of the tank. The two cylindrical halves of the tank, seen in the middle were fastened together by two threaded steel rings, a rubber packing ring between them on the outside, and a collar of sheet rubber on the inside. These pieces can be seen in the photograph as well. The lower left of the photograph shows two wire rings supporting pieces of cork. This was used to keep the aforementioned paper container for the liquid oxygen in the center of the outer jacket.

  This photograph was used in Goddard's "Report on the Development of a Liquid Propelled Rocket". This is the first time that photographs of these rocket parts have been made available for online viewing, and together they represent the most granular visual documentation of the March 16, 1926 rocket and its leadup in existence. An excerpt of that report covering everything between December 6, 1926 and March 16, 1926 can be found here.

  Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.

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  ItemStill Image1920sphotograph

  Entrance pipes for liquid fuels

  Photograph of entrance pipes for liquid fuels developed by Robert Goddard between December 1925 and January 1926. These pipes were not used in the March 16, 1926 rocket launch, but represent the final months of trial-and-error testing that made March 16, 1926 possible. These months were defined by a major late-stage pivot, stripping away the pumps and engines and replacing them with pressure tanks.

  Following December 6, 1925 (the day Goddard achieved the first liquid-fuel rocket to lift its own weight), he realized a successful launch required making the rocket as streamlined and light as possible. Despite working for years to develop pumps and engines for rockets, he would now be relying on the pressure of oxygen evaporated within a liquid oxygen tank.

  It is important to note that many sources incorrectly claim that forgoing the pumps and engines is the breakthrough that made the December 6 lift possible, but this is untrue. Goddard writes in both his diary and subsequent reports about using pumps and engines in the December 6 test, as well as the realization that he would need to eliminate them in order to produce a light enough rocket to achieve that first launch.

  The ring-shaped pipe pictured here was initially made to try and improve the combustion. Multiple entrance pipes would carry each liquid (LOX and gasoline) from the ring-shaped pipe, the idea being that smaller streams would secure better combustion. These tests were not satisfactory, and the multiple entrance pipes were discarded in favor of a single opening for the liquid oxygen and a single pipe for the gasoline. Another angle of this entrance pipe can be seen in Figure 105.

  This photograph was used in Goddard's "Report on the Development of a Liquid Propelled Rocket". This is the first time that photographs of these rocket parts have been made available for online viewing, and together they represent the most granular visual documentation of the March 16, 1926 rocket and its leadup in existence. An excerpt of that report covering everything between December 6, 1926 and March 16, 1926 can be found here.

  Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.

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  ItemStill Image1920sphotograph

  Entrance pipes for liquid fuels [2]

  Photograph of entrance pipes for liquid fuels developed by Robert Goddard between December 1925 and January 1926. These pipes were not used in the March 16, 1926 rocket launch, but represent the final months of trial-and-error testing that made March 16, 1926 possible. These final months were defined by a major late-stage pivot, stripping away the pumps and engines and replacing them with pressure tanks.

  Following December 6, 1925 (the day Goddard achieved the first liquid-fuel rocket to lift its own weight), he realized a successful launch required making the rocket as streamlined and light as possible. Despite working for years to develop pumps and engines for rockets, he would now be relying on the pressure of oxygen evaporated within a liquid oxygen tank.

  It is important to note that many sources incorrectly claim that forgoing the pumps and engines is the breakthrough that made the December 6 lift possible, but this is untrue. Goddard writes in both his diary and subsequent reports about using pumps and engines in the December 6 test, as well as the realization that he would need to eliminate them in order to produce a light enough rocket to achieve that first launch.

  The ring-shaped pipe pictured here was initially made to try and improve the combustion. Multiple entrance pipes would carry each liquid (LOX and gasoline) from the ring-shaped pipe, the idea being that smaller streams would secure better combustion. These tests were not satisfactory, and the multiple entrance pipes were discarded in favor of a single opening for the liquid oxygen and a single pipe for the gasoline. Another angle of this entrance pipe can be seen in Figure 104.

  This photograph was used in Goddard's "Report on the Development of a Liquid Propelled Rocket". This is the first time that photographs of these rocket parts have been made available for online viewing, and together they represent the most granular visual documentation of the March 16, 1926 rocket and its leadup in existence. An excerpt of that report covering everything between December 6, 1926 and March 16, 1926 can be found here.

  Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.

• 
  ItemStill Image1920sphotograph

  Combustion chamber and nozzle

  Photograph of a combustion chamber and nozzle made in 1926 before Robert Goddard's landmark March 16, 1926 rocket launch. Following December 6, 1925 (the day Goddard achieved the first liquid-fuel rocket to lift its own weight), he realized a successful launch required making the rocket as streamlined and light as possible. Despite working for years to develop pumps and engines for rockets, he would now be relying on the pressure of oxygen evaporated within a liquid oxygen tank.

  It is important to note that many sources incorrectly claim that forgoing the pumps and engines is the breakthrough that made the December 6 lift possible, but this is untrue. Goddard writes in both his diary and subsequent reports about using pumps and engines in the December 6 test, as well as the realization that he would need to eliminate them in order to produce a light enough rocket to achieve that first launch.

  Following indoor static tests conducted at Clark University in January 1926, Goddard was ready to construct a rocket as light as possible of the purpose of obtaining a successful flight. This combustion chamber and nozzle was used in the unsuccessful March 6, 1926 test. Due to the aluminum bottom of the chamber burning through, slight variations were made to these parts for March 16. More detailed photographs of the chamber and nozzle can be seen in Figures 107 and 108.

  This photograph was used in Goddard's "Report on the Development of a Liquid Propelled Rocket". This is the first time that photographs of these rocket parts have been made available for online viewing, and together they represent the most granular visual documentation of the March 16, 1926 rocket and its leadup in existence. An excerpt of that report covering everything between December 6, 1926 and March 16, 1926 can be found here.

  Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.

• 
  ItemStill Image1920sphotograph

  Combustion chamber and nozzle [2]

  Photograph of a combustion chamber and nozzle made in 1926 before Robert Goddard's landmark March 16, 1926 rocket launch. Following December 6, 1925 (the day Goddard achieved the first liquid-fuel rocket to lift its own weight) he realized a successful launch required making the rocket as streamlined and light as possible. Despite working for years to develop pumps and engines for rockets, he would now be relying on the pressure of oxygen evaporated within a liquid oxygen tank.

  It is important to note that many sources incorrectly claim that forgoing the pumps and engines is the breakthrough that made the December 6 lift possible, but this is untrue. Goddard writes in both his diary and subsequent reports about using pumps and engines in the December 6 test, as well as the realization that he would need to eliminate them in order to produce a light enough rocket to achieve that first launch.

  Following indoor static tests conducted at Clark University in January 1926, Goddard was ready to construct a rocket as light as possible of the purpose of obtaining a successful flight. This combustion chamber and nozzle was used in the unsuccessful March 6, 1926 test. Due to the aluminum bottom of the chamber burning through, slight variations were made to these parts for March 16. More detailed photographs of the chamber and nozzle can be seen in Figures 106 and 108.

  This photograph was used in Goddard's "Report on the Development of a Liquid Propelled Rocket". This is the first time that photographs of these rocket parts have been made available for online viewing, and together they represent the most granular visual documentation of the March 16, 1926 rocket and its leadup in existence. An excerpt of that report covering everything between December 6, 1926 and March 16, 1926 can be found here.

  Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.

• 
  ItemStill Image1920sphotograph

  Combustion chamber and nozzle [3]

  Photograph of a combustion chamber and nozzle secured in frame, made in preparation for what would be Robert Goddard's landmark March 16, 1926 rocket launch. Following December 6, 1925 (the day Goddard achieved the first liquid-fuel rocket to lift its own weight), he realized a successful launch required making the rocket as streamlined and light as possible. Despite working for years to develop pumps and engines for rockets, he would now be relying on the pressure of oxygen evaporated within a liquid oxygen tank.

  It is important to note that many sources incorrectly claim that forgoing the pumps and engines is the breakthrough that made the December 6 lift possible, but this is untrue. Goddard writes in both his diary and subsequent reports about using pumps and engines in the December 6 test, as well as the realization that he would need to eliminate them in order to produce a light enough rocket to achieve that first launch.

  Following indoor static tests conducted at Clark University in January 1926, Goddard was ready to construct a rocket as light as possible of the purpose of obtaining a successful flight. This combustion chamber and nozzle was used in the unsuccessful March 6, 1926 test and is almost exact to what was used on March 16, 1926. Due to the aluminum bottom of the chamber burning through in the former test, slight variations were made to these parts for March 16. Other photographs of this chamber and nozzle can be seen in Figures 106 and 107.

  This photograph was used in Goddard's "Report on the Development of a Liquid Propelled Rocket". This is the first time that photographs of these rocket parts have been made available for online viewing, and together they represent the most granular visual documentation of the March 16, 1926 rocket and its leadup in existence. An excerpt of that report covering everything between December 6, 1926 and March 16, 1926 can be found here.

  Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.

• 
  ItemStill Image1920sphotograph

  Assembled liquid oxygen tank [3]

  Photograph of the assembled liquid oxygen tank likely used in Robert Goddard's landmark March 16, 1926 rocket launch. Following December 6, 1925 (the day Goddard achieved the first liquid-fuel rocket to lift its own weight), he realized a successful launch required making the rocket as streamlined and light as possible. Despite working for years to develop pumps and engines for rockets, he would now be relying on the pressure of oxygen evaporated within a liquid oxygen tank.

  It is important to note that many sources incorrectly claim that forgoing the pumps and engines is the breakthrough that made the December 6 lift possible, but this is untrue. Goddard writes in both his diary and subsequent reports about using pumps and engines in the December 6 test, as well as the realization that he would need to eliminate them in order to produce a light enough rocket to achieve that first launch.

  Following indoor static tests conducted at Clark University in January 1926, Goddard was ready to construct a rocket as light as possible of the purpose of obtaining a successful flight. This liquid oxygen tank was definitely used in the unsuccessful March 6, 1926 test and very likely used on March 16, 1926 (the March 6 failure was not related to the tanks, and no changes or damage were noted). An earlier iteration of the liquid oxygen tank can be seen in Figures 102 and 103.

  The top of the tank is more complex than its predecessor because this rocket was built to supply its own back pressure. This was done with the rod noted next to the number 31, and the lever noted next to the number 32. The angle of Figure 110 shows the location of a safety valve (noted next to the number 33) which kept an excess of back pressure from generating. In the finished rocket, this tank was placed above the gasoline tank, with enough space between the two for the alcohol stove.

  This photograph was used in Goddard's "Report on the Development of a Liquid Propelled Rocket". This is the first time that photographs of these rocket parts have been made available for online viewing, and together they represent the most granular visual documentation of the March 16, 1926 rocket and its leadup in existence. An excerpt of that report covering everything between December 6, 1926 and March 16, 1926 can be found here.

  Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.