• Synapse@lemmy.world
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    19 hours ago

    It was a “traction” rocket, with the fuels stored at the bottom and the rocket engine at the top. This didn’t work very well because it’s an unstable configuration in terms of trajectory control. And also, hot gazes being blasted at your fuel tanks.

    • John A Critzman@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      Actually Von Braun developed his own liquid fueled rocked system independent of Goddard! He was accused of stealing his idea but the papers and research Goddard had published by that point did not contain enough info on his own personal designs to be copied. He did greatly inluence early american rocket development though.