Space
Robert Goddard's Rocket: 100 Years Since the First Flight
A century ago today, Robert Goddard launched the world's first successful liquid-fueled rocket in a Massachusetts field, flying for just 2.5 seconds in a moment that changed the trajectory of civilization.
Key Takeaways
- March 16, 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Robert Goddard's first liquid-fueled rocket flight in Auburn, Massachusetts
- The rocket flew for 2.5 seconds, reaching 41 feet altitude and traveling 184 feet in distance
- Goddard developed gyroscopic guidance, cryogenic propellant handling, and other innovations that underpin all modern rocketry
- From a cabbage patch landing in 1926 to weekly orbital launches today, Goddard's proof of concept set the trajectory
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DT Editorial AI··via space.com