WORCESTER, Mass. - 98 years ago Saturday, Robert Goddard launched the first ever liquid-fueled rocket. To commemorate the occasion, the city of Worcester announced plans to host a centennial celebration.

The city, Goddard's birthplace, and the town of Auburn, where Goddard launched his rocket, will work in collaboration over the next two years on creating a large-scale celebration. 

A number of ideas were discussed on how to honor the father of modern rocketry, including a potential Goddard statue, adding Goddard's story into the curriculum of local schools, creating postage stamps and many other ideas in hopes of getting the ball rolling. 

Goddard attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute and later taught physics at Clark University, where he earned his doctorate and carried out rocket experiments. City leaders said his impact is undeniable.

"We really want to own the message. We want to own the legacy, and more importantly, really leverage that legacy moving forward," said Charles Slatkin, who purchased the Robert and Esther Goddard House in 2021. "I mean, the centennial shouldn't be the be all and end all. It should just kind of be, you know, a great event to do two wildly ambitious things. But then, to own the Goddard story."

"Today, a special emphasis on the importance of stem science, technology, engineering and math is embedded in our curriculum and we have strong partnerships with our colleges and universities," Mayor Joe Petty said. "We want to have a historic ceremony dedicated to the centennial, and we'll be creating a steering committee to plan this momentous occasion."

Goddard's first rocket was launched at what is now the Pakachoag Golf Course in Auburn. 

Petty said there has been a committee created to begin planning for the 2026 celebration.