Editing Tsiolkovsky rocket equation (section)

== History ==
The equation is named after Russian scientist [[Konstantin Tsiolkovsky]] who independently derived it and published it in his 1903 work.<ref name="here"/><ref name="ReactiveFlyingMachines"/>

The equation had been derived earlier by the British mathematician [[William Moore (British mathematician)|William Moore]] in 1810,<ref name="moore1810"/> and later published in a separate book in 1813.<ref name="moore"/>

American [[Robert Goddard]] independently developed the equation in 1912 when he began his research to improve rocket engines for possible space flight. German engineer [[Hermann Oberth]] independently derived the equation about 1920 as he studied the feasibility of space travel.

While the derivation of the rocket equation is a straightforward [[calculus]] exercise, Tsiolkovsky is honored as being the first to apply it to the question of whether rockets could achieve speeds necessary for [[Spaceflight|space travel]].