Attend in-person at the Fourth Street Campus or on Zoom.

Dr. Robert Goddard is widely considered the father of the space age and his groundbreaking experiments transformed rocketry from imagination into reality. This program will use historical images, personal writings, and accounts of his pioneering 1926 liquid‑fuel rocket launch that beckoned in the era of modern spaceflight. The presentation also highlights Esther Goddard’s essential role in preserving her husband's legacy and ensuring his contributions continue to inspire future explorers.

Speaker Kevin Schindler is the historian and public information officer at Lowell Observatory - where he has worked for 31 years - and an active member of the Flagstaff history and science communities. He has authored nine books, including most recently Robert Goddard's Massachusetts. Kevin will have copies available at the talk. In May 2023, he served as Astronomer in Residence at the Grand Canyon and he was recently named by The Friends of the Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library as the 2025 recipient of the Copper Quill award. Fun fact about Kevin: he has both a fossil crab and an asteroid named after him!