Seem's like though we're still stuck in the Goddard age and most of the resources go towards pursuing such techniques (with a few private orgs that have the lions share of support with public funds that even go towards such ends) of getting into LEO as if there couldn't possibly be any other way worth pursing… how long will we be stuck optimizing Goddard paperclips above all else?
It's also quite funny considering that Goddard himself had to do a lot of work alone, fight public opinion and face the lack of support from the American government, military and academia, all failing to understand the value of the rocket to study the atmosphere and near space, and for military applications, over I'm sure other public-private endeavors that had the blessing at the time (perhaps all the atomic research that provided more strategic benefits?)
It's also quite funny considering that Goddard himself had to do a lot of work alone, fight public opinion and face the lack of support from the American government, military and academia, all failing to understand the value of the rocket to study the atmosphere and near space, and for military applications, over I'm sure other public-private endeavors that had the blessing at the time (perhaps all the atomic research that provided more strategic benefits?)