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Science Fiction in the News Articles related to the works of George O. Smith

George Oliver Smith (b. 1911 - d. 1981) was an American science fiction writer and electronics engineer. He contributed to Astounding Science Fiction in the 1940's; his best-kown work is probably the Venus Equilateral Station story series. Writing in 1976, Arthur C. Clarke said that George O. Smith was "probably the first writer - certainly the first technically qualified writer - to spell out the uses of space stations for space communications. George Smith, I'm sure, correctly anticipates the future." (George O. Smith) Science fiction in the News articles describe real-world events that relate to the ideas and inventions in sf novels and movies. Select a news article:

Mars Telecommunication Orbiter - Interplanetary Broadband
   Lockheed Martin Space Systems is expected to land a $500 million contract to build the Mars Telecommunication Orbiter, intended by NASA to pioneer the use of lasers in planet-to-planet communication
Elektron Oxygen Generator Versus Martian Sawgrass
   The International Space Station and the fictional Venus Equilateral Station (from a 1942 story by George O. Smith) have a problem in common - a failure of the 'air plant'.
Mars Telecommunications Orbiter Canceled
   Bad news for this project; George O. Smith in limbo for a while longer.
Internet Routing In Space Now, Venus Equilateral Station Later
   Sooner or later, there's going to be a real communications network up there - George O. Smith knew it in 1942.
XNAV Steer Your Way By X-Ray Pulsar
   A couple of papers suggest that XNAV might provide us with solar system-wide 'GPS' - good thing sf writers were already thinking about space beacons.
CAMRAS Recycles Every Breath You Take
   NASA continues developing new space technology for use in the upcoming Orion crew capsule, the Altair lunar lander and lunar rovers.
Mobile Satellite Ventures Hybrid Satellite Network
   MSV is starting to move into areas outlined by engineer and sf writer George O. Smith two generations ago.
Space Station Could Use Some Martian Sawgrass
   'What better purifying machine is there than a plot of grass?' - George O. Smith, 1942.
Interplanetary Internet - Disruption Tolerant Network
   Let's get astronauts on the 'Net by 2011. In space, no one can hear you tweet.
TEMPO2 Uses Pulsars For Celestial GPS
   Ah, the age of the space beacon is upon us at last!
X-Ray Pulsar 'Beacons' To Guide Spacecraft
   Celestial GPS for the solar system - and beyond!
Fresh Veggies, Fresh Air For Mars
   'What better purifying machine is there than a plot of grass?'- George O. Smith, 1942.
The Interplanetary Internet, Vint Cerf Speaking
   'This was the center of Interplanetary Communications.'- George O. Smith, 1942.
Man-Made Space Leaf Creates Oxygen From Water And Light
   'What better purifying machine is there than... grass?'- George O. Smith, 1942.
Elon Musk, Google To Extend Internet Into Earth Orbit, Then Mars
   'This was the center of Interplanetary Communications.'- George O Smith, 1942.
Space Synthetic Biology Grand Challenges
   'What better purifying machine is there than a plot of grass?' - George O. Smith,
NASA's Interplanetary Internet DTN
   'This was the center of Interplanetary Communications.' - George O. Smith, 1942.
China's XPNAV 1 To Use X-Ray Pulsars For Navigation
   'For a hyperspace jump, you need at least four beacons for an accurate fix.' - Harry Harrison, 1956.
NASA Wants Low Earth Orbit Wifi
   'This was the center of Interplanetary Communications.' - George O. Smith, 1942.
Queqiao 2 Communications Relay Satellite Will Support Lunar Missions
   'The Venus Equilateral Relay Station was a modern miracle of engineering...' - George O. Smith, 1942.

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