Worcester celebrates Robert Goddard’s rocket launch centennial

Who said the United States’ 250th anniversary was the only birthday in town? 2026 is also the centennial year of a historic rocket launch that changed the way we understand space travel.

On March 16, 1926 in Auburn, Massachusetts, scientist Robert Goddard set off the first liquid fueled rocket. At the time, Goddard was ridiculed and dismissed, but over the course of the last century, he became known as the father of modern rocketry. His name is found on NASA buildings, academic centers, postage stamps, one of the first modern reusable rockets and even a crater on the moon.

Goddard had many local ties, so institutions throughout Worcester are marking the occasion with a variety of events for families, academics, music lovers, pyro-enthusiasts and astronomers in training.

For future space cadets of any age, the Worcester Public Library has plenty to offer. There are a dozen events this month in honor of the Goddard centennial from an astronaut ice cream taste test to a talk examining how space is represented in music. Young visitors can craft their own bottle rockets and cup rockets. Adults can make a rocket out of stained glass. All events are free. Most are open to walk-ins, and a few suggest registration.

Starting at 10 a.m. at Goddard Park in Auburn, there will be a ceremony to rededicate the park in the scientist’s honor as well as a dedication of a new bridge.

A rocket launch ceremony which was originally scheduled for Monday, March 16 has been moved up to Saturday, March 14 due to weather. The celebration will occur at the Pakachoag Golf Course in Auburn, the site of the 1926 rocket launch, and will feature Goddard reenactors and artifacts from the Historical Society. The launch time is planned for around 2 p.m. with activities continuing until around 5 p.m.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute assistant professor of aerospace engineering Ye Lu presents a talk about the rocket equation, a scientific term that refers to how rockets change speed in relation to how they burn fuel. The forty minute presentation will explore the limits of modern technology and what leading research means for its future. The event costs $6 for members, $7 for non-members and is open to all ages but recommended for ages 15 and up.

From a planetarium movie with Sesame Street’s Big Bird to all-day stomp rockets, Worcester’s Ecotarium has enough events to tucker out any kid. The celebration runs from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with a model rocket launch at 12:30 p.m. Admission costs $24 for adults, $18 for children ages 2 and up with planetarium shows requiring a separate ticket not included with admission.

The Museum of Worcester is home to the official exhibition of the centennial celebration. Visitors can take an up-close look at items at Goddard’s very own 1929 rocket frame, similar to the one he used during the 1926 launch as well as a replica of his first rocket design, a rocket nose cone, rocket engine and Goddard’s briefcase. This collection features objects on loan from NASA, Smithsonian Institute, Library of Congress, Roswell Museum, WPI, Clark University and private collections. This exhibition marks the first time these artifacts have been on display together.

Clark alumnus and former NASA project manager John Emond will talk on March 17 about the trials Goddard faced: the skepticism and criticism from his contemporaries. On March 19 Kevin Schindler, author of Robert Goddard’s Massachusetts will review historical images, contemporary accounts of the 1926 rocket launch and the contributions of Robert Goddard’s wife Esther. Both talks will be free, open to the public and available to stream via Zoom.

The Goddard family home dates back to 1825, when Robert Goddard’s great-grandfather was its first owner. It’s both the birthplace of Robert Goddard as well as the site of many significant moments in his life. Goddard wrote in his journal about climbing a cherry tree in his backyard and envisioning traveling to space. “I was a different boy when I descended the ladder. Life now had purpose for me,” he wrote. Now, the home has been renovated into a museum and is the first site of the The National Space Trail, a new effort to highlight landmarks across the country with significant roles in space history. Tours and presentations will take place from 10 a.m. until noon and 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. each day.

A 1908 graduate with a degree in general science, Goddard will be honored at his alma mater. Starting at 4 p.m., there will be a brief reading of Goddard History by Skull Senior Honor Society. At 4:15 p.m. visitors will go to the Higgins Laboratory for an unveiling ceremony of a new site on the National Space Trail. The speaking program includes a musical tribute of a song titled “Old Tech” that Goddard, who was also a musician during his time at WPI, wrote about his alma mater. The evening will be capped with a panel discussion on the future of space travel, how new technologies are accelerating innovation and the economic role of space travel. Panelists include director of Princeton University’s Electric Propulsion and Plasma Dynamics Laboratory Edgar Choueiri, president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and AstronauticsDaniel Hastings, principal engineer at SpaceX Theodore McDonald and managing director of Cerebus Operations and Advisory Company Robie I. Samanta Roy. The event is free but requires registration by March 13. The lecture is set to begin at 5:30 p.m.. If you can’t make it to any of WPI’s events, check out their recent podcast episode all about Goddard.

A miniature biography of Goddard, flown on the Apollo 11’s mission to the moon and signed by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, will be featured alongside artifacts from Robert and Esther Goddard’s life. The collection will be on display in the Clark University building that shares its name with the famous scientist, the Goddard Library.

This family-friendly event will be hosted by Maynard Okereke of The Hip Hop Science Show. The evening will be a culmination of the week’s celebrations with presentations from planetary scientist Dr. Alan Stern, president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Daniel Hastings, former head of NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center Makenzie Lystrup. The program also includes the premier of a new documentary titled “Robert Goddard: Father of the Space Age,” a new song written about Goddard and students performing readings of Goddard’s writings. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are free.

WPI bands, choirs, orchestras and jazz groups will be present for a space-themed program, including Holst’s “Planets.” Over 200 students will be a part of the performance of “Jupiter.” The evening will also include a world premier commissioned for the centennial. Composer Gregory W. Brown’s “To Fly Without Wings” takes inspiration from Goddard’s legacy. The performance begins at 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

This post has been updated to reflect schedule changes.