Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of Robert Goddard’s first launch of a liquid-fueled rocket. It literally was two seconds that changed the world.
Today, we have re-usable rockets and regular flights to orbit. Satellites have transformed communications, weather forecasting, intelligence gathering, and more. Research in space is unlocking secrets of the universe, transforming our understanding of matter, and setting the stage for us to get off this mudball and start on our way to the stars (to quote Glenn, “Faster, Please”).
Hard to believe that so much of the modern world started with just two seconds that didn’t even rate a mention in the local newspaper if I remember correctly. Then again, the leading intellectuals (or, at least one: one also wonders if over-credentialed idiots have always been a problem, hmmmm) of the day held forth that rockets would not work in space as there was nothing for them to push against.
I will not knock any of today’s people for they are doing amazing things. That said, they got quite a boost by standing on the shoulders of Goddard, Oberth, and Tsiolkovsky. I even seem to recall one or more members of von Braun’s team talking about what a debt they owed to them during a conversation. Each generation builds upon the previous; yet, there is always a starting point and a starting person. In many respects, when it comes to modern rocketry, Robert Goddard is that man. Salute.
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Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.