Dr. Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882-1945). Image: NASA.

On this date in 1920, Robert Goddard, considered the ‘Father of American Rocketry,’ launches the last of his series of “cartridge rockets,” Although a technical failure occurred, the rocket achieved 60 feet, the highest altitude to date. You can learn more about Goddard and his early rocketry experiments at NASA’s informative page here.