[229] Robert Goddard studying one of the early pump models in his Roswell shop, September 1938

Photographer

Esther C. Goddard

Preview

Description

Photograph of Robert Goddard studying one of his early pump models in his Roswell, New Mexico workshop, September 1938.

Beginning in September 1938 and running through September 1941, Robert Goddard would work on developing high-speed centrifugal turbine-driven pumps for liquid propellant rockets. By 1938, Goddard felt he had covered everything needed for successful high-flying rockets -- except for a turbine that could drive high-speed pumps to force propellants into the chamber. So, Goddard and his team spent the Fall of 1938 conducting a thorough study of twenty proving-stand tests with five models of small, centrifugal pumps. These tests laid the groundwork for Goddard's P-Series of tests (P1-P34), which began January 1939 and ran into October 1941, and consisted of a variety of flight and static tests with pump-fed rockets.

Esther would describe this phase of her husband's research as the most trying of his career. With war approaching, Goddard wanted something to present to the military in the hopes of attracting them to rocketry. The military did take interest in rocketry and contracted Goddard and his team for the Navy and Army Air Forces to work on developing a liquid-propellant jet-assisted takeoff unit (JATO). However, the P-Series proved too much to take on; while the first liquid-propellant rocket flight using pumps did take place, the series was largely a series of frustrations and hiccups. Despite receiving more money over the years for research than any civilian for a single project before World War II, his was too small an operation to reach even greater heights than he had known. The P-Series of tests can be seen in Reel 9 and Reel 10 of The Goddard Rocket Film Reels.

'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

9-1938

Type

image

Genre

photograph

Format

jpg

Keywords

Robert Goddard, rocketry, Roswell, New Mexico, liquid-fuel rockets, pump-fed rockets, turbines, turbine-driven pump

Recommended Citation

Goddard, Esther C., "[229] Robert Goddard studying one of the early pump models in his Roswell shop, September 1938" (1938). The Goddard Rocket Researches: A Photographic Record [Individual Photographs]. 232.
https://commons.clarku.edu/goddardphotographs/232

Rights

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