Goddard actually was told that his rocket engine wouldn't work in space where there was "no atmosphere against which to react," but it was not by a scientist. The criticism was levelled by an editor in the New York Times who obviously decided to change his major to journalism after flunking physics.

It's a testament to the desperate nature of the hoax crowd that they will take any yahoo's opinion and, after a few iterations through the rumor mill, elevate him to the post of "scientist".