[071] Setup for test #72 which gave first flight in New Mexico, December 30 1930

Photographer

Esther C. Goddard

Preview

Description

Photograph of the "setup for test #72, which gave first flight in New Mexico, December 30th 1930" (annotation by Esther Goddard). By "first flight in New Mexico", Esther is referring to the first successful flight since Robert began his research there earlier in 1930. The rocket was 11 feet long and weighed 33.5 pounds when empty. It reached an altitude of 2000 feet and a maximum speed of 500 miles per hour. The gas pressure tank was used to force liquid oxygen and gasoline into the combustion chamber. Esther shot footage of this flight, which can be seen in Reel 4 of The Goddard Rocket Film Reels.

In 1930, Goddard received his first Guggenheim grant (this one from Daniel) which would bring Robert and Esther to Roswell for two years of rocket research between 1930 and 1932. They would eventually relocate there for a much longer stretch of time, 1934-1942, under grants from the Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation. In both The Papers of Robert H. Goddard and in this photo album, Esther refers to this 1930-1932 period as "The First New Mexico Adventure".

'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

1930

Type

image

Genre

photograph

Format

jpg

Keywords

Robert Goddard, rocketry, liquid-propellant rocket, liquid fuel rocket, Roswell, New Mexico

Recommended Citation

Goddard, Esther C., "[071] Setup for test #72 which gave first flight in New Mexico, December 30 1930" (1930). The Goddard Rocket Researches: A Photographic Record [Individual Photographs]. 74.
https://commons.clarku.edu/goddardphotographs/74

Rights

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