Type keyword(s) to search Shooting at the Moon: The Pioneering Rocketry of Robert Goddard In 1929, Popular Mechanics covered the explosive work of Robert Goddard. His liquid propellant-fueled rocket, the first of its kind, carved a path to the stars. By John Brady BettmannGetty Images In the December 1929 issue, Popular Mechanics covered the pioneering work of the rocketeer Robert H. Goddard. Just three years earlier, Goddard became the first to launch a liquid propellant-fueled rocket. It didn't go very far at the time, but his invention set the stage for nearly a century's worth o...