Mar 27, 2004 - Sale 2001

Sale 2001 - Lot 2

Price Realized: $ 5,980
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 3,000 - $ 4,000
HE LAUNCHED THE WORLD'S FIRST LIQUID FUELED ROCKET GODDARD, ROBERT H. Typed Letter Signed "R.H. Goddard," in answer to an inquiry about his recent activities. ". . . am now at work on the development of a high-altitude rocket." One page, 8vo on his Mescalero Ranch imprinted stationery. Roswell, NM, 1 May, 1931
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Goddard (1882-1945) conducted many years of research and experimental work with rocket components during the first 2 1/2 decades of the 20th century. This work enabled him to successfully launch the world's first liquid fueled rocket in 1926. It only reached 41 feet of altitude and flew for just 2.5 seconds, but proved that liquid rockets were a possible method for flight. Rockets of this type would eventually evolve into the gigantic Saturn V moon rocket. Goddard Space Flight Center is named in his honor.
In the letter he explains that he has had no articles since 1919 when "A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes" was published. "The first part of the article . . . gives the general principles of high altitude rocket propulsion: namely the use of a tempered nozzle, feeding successive portions of propellant into a combustion chamber, and the use of successively smaller rockets, fired in succession."
He concludes by noting that though he has ". . . published nothing official since 1919, I have devoted a great deal of time to the subject ever since and am now at work on the development of a high-altitude rocket.