Dr. Robert Goddard was born on October 5, 1882 in Worcester. Dr. Robert Goddard was raised in Boston and returned to Worcester when he was sixteen. Dr. Robert Goddard graduated in 1908. Goddard received a doctorate degree from Clark University for Physics and Rocketry. Dr. Robert Goddard loved to write science fiction stories.

Before he graduated he described a railroad between Boston and New York. Dr. Robert Goddard wrote his first small science fiction book entitled, A Method of Extreme Altitudes.

In 1914, Dr. Robert Goddard received two U.S. patents. A patent is a kind of degree that tell people that they can not make the invention without permission. One of his patents was for building a liquid rocket. The other was for building a three stage rocket using fuel.

Dr. Robert Goddard built his first rocket in 1926. His rocket was a liquid propellant rocket. On March 16, 1926, Dr. Robert Goddard successfully launched his new liquid propellant rocket. Dr. Robert Goddard had an interest in rockets since he was a teenager.

In 1929, Dr. Robert Goddard sent up a larger rocket near Worcester, Massachusetts. It went higher and faster than the first rocket. From 1930 to 1935 Dr. Robert Goddard launched rockets that reached speeds of five hundred fifty miles per hour. The height reached a mile and a half.

Dr. Robert Goddard had a genius for invention. In 1932, Dr. Robert Goddard invented a control apparatus to help the rocket fly. Dr. Robert Goddard built his first motor rocket in 1937. The motor was pivoted on gimbals. The launch was successful.

Dr. Robert Goddard was the first scientist to understand the wonderful study of space. Dr. Robert Goddard helped the military by building small rockets so the military could use them for World War 1.

Dr. Robert Goddard died on August 10, 1945. Four days after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. The 86th Congress authorized a gold medal on September 16, 1959, in honor of Dr. Robert Goddard.

Credits:

http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/AERO/goddard.htm

http://www.clarku.edu/research/archives/goddard/

http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/service/gallery/fact_sheets/general/goddard/goddard.htm

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blgoddard.htm

Picture of Goddard Building Rocket
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/about/dr_goddard.html

Goddard as kid
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Library/Archives/Goddard/

Headstone
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=398

Head
http://www.sil.si.edu/imagegalaxy/imageGalaxy_MoreImages.cfm?book_id=SIL-007-17