Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"The world is really so surreal these days that it's necessary for us to blunt it somehow in order to stay sane. The artist functions to short-circuit the buffering mechanism, so that people can occasionally perceive the weirdness of things as they are."
- William Gibson
 |
| Charged Catching Net | ||
| A net used in space; current can be used. |
| “Close haul, men. Let him hit the net — that does it!”
Spacesuited men clinging to the Argonaut’s life lines gripped the net tighter as their prey floated into it. A reddish-white globe ten feet in diameter, it evidenced life only by a rhythmic swelling and shrinking of its bulk, like an animated bellows there in the airless reaches of space. “Hold all! Close around now — ” The exultant voice of Matt Brend, captain, fell silent in astonishment. For the thing had breasted the net — and was flowing through it like water through a sieve. Whereupon eight men held slack lines, and upon the ether was borne a, torrent of spaceworthy oaths. Men who knew Matt Brend, smiled grimly and reached for the repulsors at their belts. “Follow me. Blast!” The words cracked like shots. “Ahoy, Argonaut! Two inductors full tension on the net lines. We’ll see if the thing can eat juice.”
 (Catching net from 'The Scrambler' (1941) by Harry Walton) Again the net was flung into a cupped semicircle across the globe’s path, mesh aglow with cathode current from the ship’s generators, men and lines pricked out against black space by pale, fiery discharge fringes. The globe kept on. |
| Technovelgy from The Scrambler,
by Harry Walton. Published by Astounding Science Fiction in 1941 Additional resources -
|
The first reference to asteroid mining Is from Edison's Conquest of Mars (1898) by Garrett P. Serviss; see this page for lots of links to asteroid mining in general.
Compare to asteroid space flyer from The Death's Head Meteor (1930) by Neil R. Jones, landing on an asteroid from Murder on the Asteroid (1933) by Eando Binder and asteroid rocket from Salvage in Space (1933) by Jack Williamson.
For exotic asteroid capture methods, see magno-bars and meteor swarm mining from The Meteor Miners (1935) by L.A. Eshbach and
asteroid nets from Asteroid Justice (1947) by V.E. Thiessen.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Scrambler
More Ideas
and Technology by Harry Walton
Tech news articles related to The Scrambler
Tech news articles related to works by Harry Walton
| 'If Anyone Is Watching Earth...' |
| Cloud Of Space Rubbish From China's Long March Rocket |
| ESA's Draco To Study Heat Of Reentry |
| The United States Space Academy Is Official |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
'Our study of your race has convinced us that you are not fitted to leave your planet in the present state of your civilization.'
'...the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and Then one toppled and fell. Then another.'
'Within seconds the material was spread out over fifty yards, in a matter of hours it might occupy several cubic miles of space...'
'The men are dead, but their acquired wisdom lives on and I am the beneficiary.'
'Young people found the driverless car admirable for petting.'
'After twenty generations of shillyshallying...'
