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
"[Science fiction is] anything that turns you and your social context, the social you, inside out."
- Gregory Benford
 |
| Space Tug | ||
| Early use of familiar ocean vehicle in space. |
How to move more cargo space-ward? Space tugs. This is very likely the first use of this term in sf - maybe anywhere.
| Martiacast VXV calling Vanguard. Can now observe the Starider. You've permission to enter the sphere of Mars to make contact with vessel. Are ordering out space tugs. |
| From Describe a Circle,
by Eric Frank Russell. Published by Astounding Science Fiction in 1942 Additional resources -
|
Murray Leinster, in his 1953 story Space Tug, made great use of this idea:
He grinned at them. The Chief raised his eyebrows. Haney turned his head to stare. Joe said exuberantly: "They've been talking about arming ships with guided missiles to fight with. Too heavy, of course. But—if we could handle guided missiles, why couldn't we handle drones?"[Pg 97]
The three of them gaped at him. Sally said, startled, "But—but, Joe, I didn't——"
"We've got plenty of hulls!" said Joe. Somehow he still looked astonished at what he'd made of Sally's perfectly obvious comment. "Mike's arranged for that! Make—say—six of 'em into drones—space barges. Remote-controlled ships. Control them from one manned ship—the tug! We'll ride that! Take 'em up to the Platform exactly like a tug tows barges. The tow-line will be radio beams. We'll have a space-tow up, and not bother to bring the barges back! There won't be any landing rockets! They'll carry double cargo! That's the answer! A space tug hauling a tow to the Platform!"
See also the tug Marcus Garvey from Neuromancer by William Gibson.
Sally's just gotten the real answer! The answer is for ships to go up to the Platform and not come back!"
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Describe a Circle
More Ideas
and Technology by Eric Frank Russell
Tech news articles related to Describe a Circle
Tech news articles related to works by Eric Frank Russell
| Used Dragon Cargo Spacecraft Will Fly Again |
| Laser-Powered Spacecraft To Explore The Solar System |
| SKYLON Space Plane Gets Boost |
| Europe's Cheops To Look For Habitable Planets |
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 Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
'Ender doodled on his desk, drawing contour maps of mountainous islands and then telling his desk to display them in three dimensions...'
'The bulldozer moved through the lunar strip mine... '
'... instantly became rigid all over when something struck it...'
'Complete evacuation of the interior of the tubes [and] a wave that provides the new propulsive energy for the cars...'
