Why did Robert Goddard move his later rocket flights away from Auburn?
The publicity from the launch of July 17, 1929 caused many of the people of Auburn to want to ban Dr. Goddard from doing any more tests there. Their demands forced Massachusetts’ State Fire Marshall, George Neal, to require Goddard to leave. Fortunately for him, he was able to arrange to do static rocket tests on the U.S. military base at Devens, Massachusetts, which was beyond the control of the state government. The news accounts of the July 17, 1929 launch led to the philanthropist Harry Guggenheim finding out about the rocketry research. As a promoter of aviation, he decided to fund Goddard’s research, as a letter to Clark University’s president states. Guggenheim’s support, which was more than just financial, continued beyond the initial four years of support described in the letter.
