Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771

ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM

Monday, March 1, 2004 / 3:30 PM, Building 3 Auditorium

Dave Clary

"Rocket Man: Robert H. Goddard and the Birth of the Space Age"

ABSTRACT -- More famous in his day than Einstein or Edison, the troubled, solitary genius Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945) was the American father of rocketry and space flight, launching the world's first liquid-fuel rockets and the first powered vehicles to break the sound barrier. Yet he is the "forgotten man" of the space age: The American government usurped his 214 patents, while suppressing his contributions in the name of national security, until it was forced to pay one million dollars for patent infringement. Goddard became famous again during the cold war, monuments and medals raining upon his memory. But his renewed fame soon faded, and Goddard's pivotal role in launching the Space Age has been largely forgotten. Author C. Clark describes the book by our presenter: "Rocket Man is a long overdue tribute to one of the greatest engineers of the 20th Century".

SPEAKER -- Following a career in the historical and historic preservation programs of the National Park Service, David A. Clary became the first Chief Historian of the U. S. Forest Service in 1976. He eventually left federal service to pursue a career as a consulting historian, author, and businessman. He has been a consultant to the Departments of Defense, Interior, and Agriculture, as well as several private and local organizations. He also teaches history at Eastern New Mexico University. Clary is the author of over a hundred publications in military, environmental, and scientific history, including eight books and many book-length reports. He holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of Texas, and has received several honors and awards for his work in history, historic preservation, and public service. He lives with his wife Beatriz in New Mexico.