This nitrogen pressure device was designed and used by the American rocket pioneer Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945) in a static or non-flying test of a cylindrical rocket combustion chamber at Roswell, New Mexico, on 15 January 1931. It was the first in a series of tests on combustion chambers in which the liquid oxygen was fed tangentially and the gasoline was introduced as a spray at the of the upper cone of the chamber. The propellants were not pumped into the combustion chamber but fed in by inert nitrogen pressure of between 75 and 150 pounds per square inch.
Mrs. Robert H. Goddard donated this object to the Smithsonian Institution in 1959 as part of a large collection of artifacts from her husband.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Date
1931
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
PROPULSION-Components (Engine Parts)
Manufacturer
Dr. Robert H. Goddard
Dimensions
3-D: 9.5 × 3.2 × 24.1cm (3 3/4 × 1 1/4 × 9 1/2 in.)
Materials
Steel
Copper Alloy
Aluminum
Main cylinder, or tank, zinc-plated steel; pipes, adjoining, copper, the longer with brass fittings
Inventory Number
A19590072000
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Robert Goddard
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.