Portrait of Robert Goddard (1882-1945), American physicist and pioneer of liquid-fuelled rockets. This photograph was taken when Goddard was 42 years old, teaching at Clark University. Goddard was born and educated at Worcester, Massachusetts. He studied physics at Clark University, working as Professor there for most of his life. In 1919, he published his paper on the practical aspects of spaceflight. In 1926, he built and tested a kerosene/liquid oxygen rocket. By 1935 he had even built supersonic rockets, guided by gyroscopes. It was not until 15 years after his death that the US Government made a $1 million payment to his widow for infringing some of his 216 patents.