NY TIMES EDITORIAL BLASTS ROBERT GODDARD'S ROCKET
New York City (JFK+50) On January 13, 1920, The New York Times published an editorial critical of Robert Goddard's* vision of a rocket in space. The Times flatly stated...
"rockets will never fly in space."
Michael Byrne says that the editorial did, however, acknowledge that "Goddard's rocket might be able to reach higher parts of the atmosphere to deploy scientific instruments." The Times was skeptical, however, that a rocket could be returned to earth safely.
"This Day Trivia" says that Goddard's response to the editorial was to say...
"Every vision is a joke until the first man accomplishes it, once realized, it becomes commonplace."
To its credit, the New York Times issued this apology on July 17, 1969**...
"The Times regrets the error."
*Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882-1945) was born in Worcester, MA & graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Clark University. RHG created & built the world's 1st liquid-fueled rocket launched March 16, 1926. His 34 rockets (1926-1941) climbed as high as 1.6 miles & as fast as 550 mph.
NASA's Goddard Space Center (1959) was named in his honor.
**Apollo 11 was launched on July 16, 1969 & after Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin walked on the surface of the moon, returned safely to earth on July 21, 1969. The goal of landing a man on the moon & returning him safely on the earth before the end of the decade had been set by President John F. Kennedy in early 1961.
SOURCES
"The New York Times' 1920 Editorial Mocking Space Travel Remains a Classic," by Michael Byrne, July 19, 2015, www.vice.com/
"This Day Trivia," January 13, 1920, by Jeff Denson, www.thisdaytrivia.com/
Robert Goddard
New York City (JFK+50) On January 13, 1920, The New York Times published an editorial critical of Robert Goddard's* vision of a rocket in space. The Times flatly stated...
"rockets will never fly in space."
Michael Byrne says that the editorial did, however, acknowledge that "Goddard's rocket might be able to reach higher parts of the atmosphere to deploy scientific instruments." The Times was skeptical, however, that a rocket could be returned to earth safely.
"This Day Trivia" says that Goddard's response to the editorial was to say...
"Every vision is a joke until the first man accomplishes it, once realized, it becomes commonplace."
To its credit, the New York Times issued this apology on July 17, 1969**...
"The Times regrets the error."
*Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882-1945) was born in Worcester, MA & graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Clark University. RHG created & built the world's 1st liquid-fueled rocket launched March 16, 1926. His 34 rockets (1926-1941) climbed as high as 1.6 miles & as fast as 550 mph.
NASA's Goddard Space Center (1959) was named in his honor.
**Apollo 11 was launched on July 16, 1969 & after Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin walked on the surface of the moon, returned safely to earth on July 21, 1969. The goal of landing a man on the moon & returning him safely on the earth before the end of the decade had been set by President John F. Kennedy in early 1961.
SOURCES
"The New York Times' 1920 Editorial Mocking Space Travel Remains a Classic," by Michael Byrne, July 19, 2015, www.vice.com/
"This Day Trivia," January 13, 1920, by Jeff Denson, www.thisdaytrivia.com/
Robert Goddard
Auburn, MA
March 8, 1926
Photo by Esther C. Goddard
National Air & Space Museum
