Voting Station

Robert H. Goddard

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Scientist

The Resume

    (October 5, 1882-August 10, 1945)
    Born in Worcester, Massachusetts
    Rocket science pioneer
    Published 'A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes' (1919)
    Launched the first liquid-fueled rocket (March 26, 1926)
    Held 214 patents
    Namesake of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland

Why he might be annoying:

    The local newspaper reported one of his experiments under the mocking headline, 'Moon Rocket Misses Target by 238,799-1/2 Miles.'
    He reacted badly to criticism and became increasingly suspicious and unsociable.
    The US Army ignored his offer to develop rockets for them during World War II.
    German scientists like Werner von Braun used his ideas to develop V-1 and V-2 rockets to attack Britain.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He said, 'The dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.'
    He developed the bazooka for the Army during World War I.
    His aunt's farm where he launched the first successful liquid-fuel rocket is now a National Historic Landmark.
    Charles Lindbergh was impressed by his research and arranged for the Guggenheim Foundation to fund his work.
    The New York Times mocked his proposal to send a rocket to the moon, writing that Goddard 'seems to lack the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools' (1920).
    Forty-nine years later, days before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the paper wrote, 'It is now definitely established that a rocket can function in a vacuum as well as in an atmosphere. The Times regrets the error.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 26 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 20 Votes: 55.00% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 63 Votes: 38.10% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 20 Votes: 35.00% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 25 Votes: 48.00% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 56 Votes: 32.14% Annoying