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"Cyberspace is a metaphor that allows us to grasp this place where since about the time of the second world war we've increasingly done so many of the things that we think of as civilization."
- William Gibson
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| Geodesic Inflexors | ||
| Propulsion provided not by pushing against matter, but against spacetime. |
| The cage swept them upward,
through the levels of the ship. Haldane glimpsed a dark hold, the trim
polished cases of the geodesic inflexors, close-packed rows of power-tubes,
a spotless galley...
The bellow of the launching rockets stopped, and that crushing pressure ceased. For an instant the Starbrand hung free, and Haldane felt a sudden illness in his middle. Then the inflexors hummed, replacing the launching rockets with their powerful drive. The steady thrust of acceleration restored his physical comfort, but mental unease still tortured him... Abruptly the room spun, and fell with them... A smothering silence filled the ship. The hum of the inflexors had stopped. |
| Technovelgy from Star of Dreams,
by Jack Williamson. Published by Comet in 1941 Additional resources -
|
Compare to these propulsion systems: Light Pressure Propulsion (1867), apergy (1880), Beam-Powered Propulsion (1931), Granton motor (1933), Vibration-Propelled Cruiser (1928), geodynes (1936), ion drive (1947), Planetary Propulsion-Blasts (1934), stardrive (1953), solar sail (light sail) (1962), Lyle drive (1961), laser cannon (1966), Bussard ramjet (1976), asymptotic drive (1976), Interstellar Laser Propulsion System (1985).
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| First Trips To Mars Announced By Elon Musk |
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'...the rocket’s landing-arms automatically unfolded.'
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'... he thrust in his charging arm to replenish his store of energy.'
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