Robert Goddard, an American born in 1882, is widely regarded as the world's first rocket scientist.
At age 27, Goddard published his first book in which he hypothesized that a rocket launched from Earth could reach the Moon. Like many visionaries, the young scientist encountered numerous skeptics. In January 1920, The New York Times ridiculed Goddard's theory that rockets could be utilized for space exploration. Forty-nine years later, Apollo 11 reached the Moon and the famed newspaper published an apology to Goddard.
Goddard launched his first rocket from an aunt's farm in his native Massachusetts in March, 1926. His maiden rocket voyage lasted a mere 3 seconds. It scaled an altitude of only 12 meters. Nonetheless, it was a milestone in rocket science.
Goddard later consulted with a weather expert and determined that the climate of New Mexico was ideal for year-round rocket launches. In 1930, Goddard and his family relocated there, to a remote valley in the southwest of the country. There he established a laboratory and test range.
However, the ambitious scientist received negligible support from the government. For four years, wealthy businessman Daniel Guggenheim provided Goddard with an annual 25,000 dollars grant to pursue his dreams. Other rocket enthusiasts also raised funds for him. Over time, Goddard's rocket grew more sophisticated and included the installation of instruments.
In spite of his many successes, Goddard was never able to interest the US military in rocket-propelled weapons. He was granted over 200 patents and continued to pioneer rocket technology until his death in 1945.