The Eagle Has Landed: The Story of Apollo 11 Read Free Page B

near Roswell, New Mexico. There, Goddard established a rocket science laboratory and test range, which included a launch pad and tower.
    Derisively nicknamed “Moony” Goddard by his critics, the ambitious, but intensely private rocketeer received little support from the government. Over the course of four years, philanthropist Daniel Guggenheim provided Goddard with an annual $25,000.00 grant, while famed aviator Charles Lindbergh helped raise additional funds, enabling the rocket scientist to pursue his dreams.
    With the passage of time, Goddard’s rockets grew more sophisticated, including the installation of gyroscopes. In 1929, Goddard launched the first instrument-containing rocket, which carried a thermometer, barometer, and camera high into the sky. Another of his liquid-fueled rockets broke the speed of sound (Mach 1) in 1935. Goddard subsequently developed a rocket that could travel 1.5 miles into the air at a velocity of 550 miles per hour.
    Goddard continued to test rockets at his isolated desert facility for the remainder of his life. In spite of his many successes, Goddard was never able to interest the U.S. military in rocket-propelled weaponry. Eventually granted over 200 patents, Goddard continued to pioneer rocket science technology until his death in 1945. In his final days, he offered a vision of the future: “It is just a matter of imagination how far we can go with rockets. I think it is fair to say, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
    Following in the footsteps of Robert Goddard, Wernher von Braun ultimately became the most successful rocket scientist of the 20 th century. Born on March 25, 1912 in Wilintz Germany, von Braun developed a passion for space exploration and rocketry at an early age, devouring the science fiction of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. After reading those futuristic tales, von Braun was “filled with a romantic urge,” and “longed to soar through the heavens and actually explore the mysterious universe.” To further his scientific knowledge, von Braun carefully studied the technical writings of Herman Oberth.
    In his youth, von Braun caught the attention of villagers by launching rockets into an apple stand and bakery; his father later remembered it as a time of “broken windows” and “destroyed flower gardens.” On one occasion, he attached six large, store-bought fireworks rockets to his wooden pull-wagon. After ignition, von Braun attempted to pilot his rocket-propelled vehicle down the sidewalk, as panicked pedestrians leapt out of the way. The police took Wernher in for questioning after his ill-advised experiment, but released him to his father, who promised to take responsibility for the youngster’s punishment. In spite of his misadventures, von Braun’s curiosity never diminished, and while still a teenager, he joined the rocket club, Verein fur Raumschiffahrt.
    At age 23, von Braun graduated from Friedrich-Wilhelm University in Berlin, earning a PhD in physics; the subject of his dissertation was liquid-fueled rockets. Early in his career, von Braun worked for the Society for Space Travel, along with other rocket researchers, all of whom shared the dream of space travel.
    Standing five-feet, eleven-inches-tall, von Braun was handsome and square-jawed, with a thick head of blond hair. Athletic and fluent in several languages, the rocket scientist was charming and gregarious, and cultivated a variety of interests, including music (he played both the piano and cello), philosophy, religion, geography, and politics. Von Braun was also a gifted writer, spell-binding orator, skilled draftsman, and a pilot.
    The Treaty of Versailles, which formally ended World War I, punitively limited German arms production. The treaty, however, made no provisions concerning rockets, which were not yet considered viable weapons of war. Accordingly, the German Army assigned artillery officer, Captain Walter Dornberger, the task of assessing how best to exploit this loophole.
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