Celebrating 100 years since the first liquid-fuel rocket launch
慶祝首次液態燃料火箭發射一百週年
On March 16, 1926, a quiet farm in Massachusetts became the birthplace of the Space Age.
1926年3月16日，麻薩諸塞州的一座寧靜農場成了太空時代的誕生地。
Robert H.
這枚火箭高約10英尺，使用汽油和液態氧的混合物。
Goddard, a physics professor, launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket, nicknamed "Nell."
儘管它的飛行時間僅持續了2.5秒，且最後墜落在一個高麗菜園裡，但它卻改變了一切。
Standing about 10 feet tall, the rocket used a mix of gasoline and liquid oxygen.
雖然早期的懷疑論者，包括全國性報紙，都嘲弄戈達德的想法，但這41英尺的短暫飛躍證明了液態推進是可行的。
While early skeptics, including national newspapers, mocked Goddard’s ideas, this 41-foot hop proved that liquid propulsion was possible.
今天，我們慶祝這場謙遜又搖搖欲墜的飛行百週年。
From "Aunt Effie’s farm" to the massive Saturn V rockets, Goddard’s vision laid the foundation for modern GPS, global communication, and the ongoing Artemis program.
The story of "Nell" is a powerful reminder that even the most ambitious eras of human history often begin with a small, seemingly simple step into the unknown.
