GODDARD Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Humanity’s First Step To The STARS
• CELEBRATING THE AWE AND WONDER OF SPACE EXPLORATION
• HONORING GODDARD’S HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT AND OUR TODAY’S & TOMORROW’S GODDARD’S
• CELEBRATING: INGENUITY…INNOVATION…PERSEVERANCE
• INSPIRING STEM / STEAM EDUCATORS & STUDENTS
MARCH 16, 2026 At Launch Site 12 pm- 2 PM (Auburn, Massachusetts - 15 Upland St) 100th Anniversary of Dr. Goddard’s historic launch of the world’s first modern rocket. Speeches by: VIP’s / Historians / Etc.
Readings from Goddard’s Journal on March 16 & March 17, 1926. Model Rocket Launches: “100 Goddard replica rockets will be launched for each of the 100 years since Goddard’s first launch. (Estes Rocket Company Partnership and Promotion) promoting nationwide launches of rockets on March 16th 2026. Re-enactments, Selfies and Photo Ops. Live Streaming and Documentation the event.
MARCH 16, 2025 Launch Site Events (Auburn, Massachusetts - 15 Upland St)
INSTALLATIONS AT LAUNCH SITE
• Full scale Goddard replica rocket placed by launch historic marker. • Blast shield and observation post replicated. • Photo silhouette cutouts of Goddard, Esther, and assistants Mr. Rope and Mr. Kisk.
MARCH 12 Robert Goddard Exhibit [VIP and press Soft opening] (Worcester, Massachusetts, 30 Elm Street) MARCH 16 Public Opening [open for 6 months.]
• Goddard Exhibit featuring Goddard archives and collections from Clark, WPI, Smithsonian, Roswell Museum, etc. • Free admission for Centennial Week • Esther Goddard Recognition. • Kids can touch an actual piece of a Mars meteorite. • Goddard Film Festival (running continuously in Fletcher Theater)
Phase 1 of National Space Trail has been fully funded and will be completed for the Centennial “NATIONAL SPACE TRAIL” www.nationalspacetrail.org SITES: Robert and Esther Goddard House, Goddard School for Science & Technology (Old South High), WPI, Clark University, and Auburn Launch Site. And 4 supporting sites: Worcester City Hall, Massport / Worcester Airport, Museum of Worcester, and EcoTarium Science Center.
MARCH 17- MARCH 21 (Worcester, MA, 1 Tallawanda Drive) “ ROBERT and ESTHER GODDARD HOUSE ” Presentations and Lectures (available by appointment only)
MARCH 17- MARCH 22 Clark University and WPI will be hosting events, lectures, tours, and presentations. Specifics TBD Clark (950 Main St, Worcester, MA) - WPI (100 Institute Rd, Worcester, MA )
MARCH 22 (4:30 PM-6PM) Worcester, MA, 2 Southbridge St. Featured event at The Hanover Theater (no charge for tickets) (Family friendly with focus on students, parents and educators)
4:30 PM start, Keynote and VIP Speakers (Dr. Alan Stern & NASAs’Mackenzie Lystrup,) Massachusetts Astronauts, Video Testimonials from around the World, local students reading Goddard’s valedictory famous speech, Awards to Teachers, Students, Big Dreamers, First Esther Goddard Award, 3 Minute “History of Space” video, new “Goddard The Visionary” 6 minute video, etc. Emcee: Maynard Okereke ("Hip Hop Science”) https://www.hiphopscienceshow.com/
PREPARATIONS FOR THE MARCH 16 LAUNCH EVENT
The Wonder Mission has been partnering with the Town of Auburn and providing creative ideas to assure the Centennial is the inspiring event it so deserves. We encouraged the town to donate the old Polaris missile to the Worcester EcoTarium and replace it with a 25’ steel sculpture of the iconic Goddard silhouette at their newly re-imagined, “Goddard Park.” David Clark, the aerospace suit company has donated funds for our fabrication of a full scale replica of Goddard’s famous first rocket to be installed at the launch site. Auburn’s DPW will construct all the other elements to help visualize the historic first launch that ushered in the Space-Age. Historic re-creator actors will engage with attendees to bring Goddard’s story to life.
Dr. Robert and Esther Goddard House & Center for Inspiration RESTORATION PROJECTS
Thanks to a generous grant from the City of Worcester’s “Community Preservation Program, the Goddards 200 year old multi-generational home was recently de-leaded, painted, a new roof installed, and he old knob and tube electrical was removed and replaced in preparation for public viewing as pat of Goddard’s upcoming “First Launch Centennial” this March 16.
We are in the process of applying for new grants for a heat -pump HVAC system, energy e ffi cient historic windows and more updating of plumbing and electrical to bring to modern codes.
Two new books on Goddard will be available in advance of the Centennial .
Kevin Schindler, Lowell Observatory historian and history writer, spent months researching a new book on Goddard as part of the Images of America series. It includes a new foreword by Apollo astronaut, Jim Lovell.
(Available March , 2026)
Goddard’s o ffi cial biography, written by author Milton Lehman, has been out of print for over 50 years. We’ve received permission from Lehmans heirs to republish it for the Centennial. It includes new foreword from Mackenzie Lystrup (former head of NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center) and excerpts from Carl Sagan’s essay on Goddard
(Available February 2026)
(The Wonder Mission’s Volunteers and Advisors Team) “Goddard Project” and “The First Launch Centennial”
Dr. Alan Stern Southwest Research Institute NASA -Centennial Outreach Volunteer
Evan Hadingham Wonder Mission Board Member Science Editor / WGBH /NOVA Wonder Mission Board Member
Lauren Monroe Wonder Mission Board Member Founder / Technocopia STEM / STEAM Maker Space
Dr. Jeffrey Hall (former Exec Director. Lowell Observatory and Astronomy Discovery Center -Fundraising & Sponsorships
Frank White Wonder Mission Board Member Author of “The Overview Effect”
Donna Deangelis Event Coordinator
Iris Fisher Chief Centennial Ambassador Social Media / Media Liaison
William Wallace Wonder Mission Board Member Executive Director Museum of Worcester
Diane Ward Event Producer
12
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online