[166] Closeup of rocket before flight, March 26 1937

Photographer

Esther C. Goddard

Preview

Description

Photograph of a rocket before the test flight of March 26, 1937, also known as L13. This was a flight with larger movable air vanes that reached a very impressive altitude of 8000-9000 feet (the remains of dust storms make it hard to be exact). With a guidance system that was able to correct against the winds for as long as the propulsion lasted, the flight duration lasted 22.3 seconds.

Between May 11, 1936 and August 9, 1838, Robert Goddard conducted the L-Series of tests in Roswell, New Mexico. Goddard and his wife Esther lived in Roswell from 1930 to 1932 and 1934 to 1942 as a result of Guggenheim-funded grants, allowing Goddard to conduct his research and experiments with rocketry. The L-Series consisted of thirty flight tests divided into three sections (A; L1-L7; B; L8-L15; C; L16-L30) testing ten-inch diameter motors in nitrogen-pressured rockets. Seventeen of these tests were flights tests, while the other thirteen were static tests. The L-Series tackled a range of variables and challenges that came with building larger rockets. Reel 8 of The Goddard Rocket Film Reels contains 22 minutes of footage from the 'L' tests.

The missiles constructed for this L-series started out shorter and heftier (at about eighteen inches in diameter) and grew longer and leaner over the course of the tests. By L7, Goddard switched from one larger motor to four smaller combustion chambers. The consistent problem preventing high-altitude flights was the burning of combustion chambers. Goddard steered away from methods of regenerative cooling that had been developed and stuck to curtain cooling. Goddard and his team, not to mention the Guggenheim Foundation funding him, would have to wait until L13, this flight, to achieve another high-flying rocket.

'The Goddard Rocket Researches: A Photographic Record' is an annotated photo album covering Robert H. Goddard's work and experimentation with rocketry. It was assembled and curated by Esther Goddard sometime after her husband's passing in 1945. Additionally, almost all of the photographs were taken by Esther herself.

Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.

Date Taken

3-26-1937

Type

image

Genre

photograph

Format

jpg

Keywords

Robert Goddard, rocketry, Roswell, New Mexico, liquid-fuel rockets, rocket motors, nitrogen, pressure-fed rockets, guidance system

Recommended Citation

Goddard, Esther C., "[166] Closeup of rocket before flight, March 26 1937" (1937). The Goddard Rocket Researches: A Photographic Record [Individual Photographs]. 163.
https://commons.clarku.edu/goddardphotographs/163

Rights

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