Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Overall: 12 1/2 in. long x 1 1/4 in. diameter (31.75 x 3.18cm)
Other (Actual Rocket): 225 lb., 147 3/4 in. long (102.1kg, 375.29cm)
Other (Actual motor): 15 in. long x 10 in. diameter (38.1 x 25.4cm)
Materials:
Plastic and metal; actual motor of rocket, nickel; original rocket also made of aluminum, copper, and ceramic lining in the rocket motor throat for cooling purposes
This is a model of a K-series rocket built by American rocket pioneer Dr. Robert H. Goddard and used in non-flight, static tests during 1935-1936. At 10-inches in diameter, the motor for this rocket was considered large for its time. The average thrust was 450 pounds for 15 seconds. Once perfected, Goddard hoped to incorporate it into a large flight rocket, or L-series.
But in the tests, Goddard found that the efficiency of the motor was not as great as expected, and for flight rockets he would need to reduce the weight of components. The 10 inch motor was therefore only used for the first six rockets in the L-series that were carried out in 1936 although the L-series also proved disppainting and those that flew averaged only 200 feet. Donated to the Smithsonian by the model maker Mat Irvine in 1975.
Gift of Mat Irvine
