Humanity is just beginning to recognize the outer space environment is both valuable and fragile. The Goddard Project seeks to promote citizen action to protect orbital space as an essential natural resource.

In 1899, when he was 17, Robert H. Goddard climbed a tall cherry tree in his family's yard in Worcester , Massachusetts to prune its dead limbs. He wrote later that as he looked toward the fields to the east, he "imagined how wonderful it would be to make a device which had even the possibility of ascending to Mars."

In 1926, Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket and watched it rise 41 feet during a 2.5 second trip.

The challenge for the international community today is enlarge its environmental perspective to encompass outer space as well as Earth. It needs to match Goddard's scientific vision and ingenuity with ethical perspective and public activity designed to safeguard the integrity of the space environment for future use and exploration.

Learn more about this issue by visiting the dedicated website at www.protectouterspace.com