The Goddard Rocket Researches: A Photographic Record [Individual Photographs]

'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.

The vast majority of these photographs were taken by Esther herself. Esther was an avid camerawoman and photographer, and during Robert's lifetime she meticulously documented his career in rocketry -- from experiments and instruments to processes and workspaces. In his book Rocket Man: Robert H. Goddard and the Birth of the Space Age, David A. Clary states that Esther "became a pioneer in photographic documentation of technology, taking pictures of tests and flights--including deriving stills from movies--and illustrating Robert's notes with detailed photographs of everything manufactured in the shop and assembled into rockets". Esther also shot 16mm film footage when Robert bought her a movie camera in 1926. That footage can be seen here.

Following Robert's death in 1945, Esther dedicated the rest of her life to relentlessly crafting and promoting the legend and reputation of Robert’s life and work. This element of careful curation can be seen in this photo album, both in its construction and the classification system present in the bottom right of each photograph.

This page contains each individual photograph in the album, which can be seen in its entirety here.

Photographs were scanned at 400dpi.

Sources consulted for the descriptions in this series include Esther's photo album annotations, The Papers of Robert Goddard, and Rocket Man: Robert H. Goddard and the Birth of the Space Age by David Clary.

These images are the property of Clark University and are intended for non-commercial use. Images may be copied for research, teaching, personal, or any fair use as defined by U.S. copyright law. Images may not be altered in any way. Users of these images are asked to acknowledge Clark University. For questions or further information about usage rights, please contact archives@clarku.edu

All collection descriptions written by Katie Stebbins, Digital Projects Librarian.

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[121] Magnet valve box, installed for test of April 19 1935

[122] Flight with altitude of 7500 feet, May 31 1935

[123] Ready for flight of June 25 1935

[124] Rocket alongside sheet iron shelter of launching tower, July 12 1935

[125] At launching tower with Harry Guggenheim, September 23 1935

[126] Charles A. Lindbergh with launching tower, September 23 1935

[127] Fueling the rocket from liquid oxygen tank, September 23 1935

[128] Preparing rocket for test, September 23 1935

[129] Albert Kisk at work readying rocket for test, September 23, 1935

[130] Nils T. Ljungquist, Robert Goddard, Esther Goddard, Albert Kisk, and Harry Guggenheim at launching tower, September 23 1935

[131] Robert Goddard and Harry Guggenheim at launching tower, September 23 1935

[132] Looking up the launching tower alongside the rocket, September 23 1935

[133] Looking up the launching tower alongside the rocket, September 23 1935 [2]

[134] Looking down the launching tower on top of rocket, September 23 1935

[135] Albert Kisk, Harry Guggenheim, Robert Goddard, Charles Lindbergh, Nils T. Ljungquist, and Charles Mansur at launching tower, September 25 1935

[136] Ford truck, a fine new trailer and Dodge, November 1935

[137] Setup for photographing instruments in K series of static tests, November 1935

[138] Final form of instrument board, Fall 1935

[139] Filling the pressure line for static test, November 1935

[140] Observers at the new shelter 140 feet from tower for static tests, Winter 1935-1936

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