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
"...being predictive, being right about the future, is not the point of any given story or novel. The point is about exploring as wide a range of possibilities as possible."
- Peter Watts
 |
| Etheric Propulsion-Vibrations | ||
| Faster-than-light travel. |
| It was in a wild longing for new adventure that the three had left in their new cruiser of revolutionary design. Wearied by the boredom of the solar system’s tame interplanetary traffic, they had started toward the hitherto unreached stars on a voyage of discovery and adventure. Their cruiser, driven by etheric propulsion-vibrations which it projected behind it, could attain speeds many times the speed of light itself. It had super-concentrated supplies and almost inexhaustible power, and thus the three could expect in it to visit the universe’s greatest stars. Now the first goal of their voyage, the nearest star, was in sight, as they gazed toward Alpha Centauri and its attendant planets. |
| Technovelgy from The Star-Roamers,
by Edmond Hamilton. Published by Weird Tales in 1933 Additional resources -
|
It's not really clear whether they are proceeding through normal space, or some sort of hyperspace. Whatever kind of space it is, it's very similar to guiding a boat through the water:
The cruiser heeled dizzily in space as it answered the wheel. Crisscrossing gas-globes hurtled through space where it had just been, and as one of these globes of gas touched a darting oval ship that was too slow in escaping its path, March saw the ship crumbled to fragments by the globe of gas! As he swerved the cruiser with instinctive swiftness, he heard a ay from Newell, another from Connor.
Given the speeds of sfnal space ships, any attempt to maneuver them would put unbearable forces on anyone inside unless inertia were somehow canceled. I can't think of another instance in sf that putting the wheel over results in the space ship "heeling" as a boat would do in the water.
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).
Space about them was suddenly alive with strange, dark oval ships! March, even as he whirled over the cruiser’s wheel in answer to Newell's startled cry of warning, was aware that from the rushing ships small globular clouds of white gas were speeding toward them! The scores of oval ships were attacking them!
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Star-Roamers
More Ideas
and Technology by Edmond Hamilton
Tech news articles related to The Star-Roamers
Tech news articles related to works by Edmond Hamilton
| SETI Suggests Prospecting The Solar System Without Landing |
| Cislunar Space And The Space Lanes of Golden Age Science Fiction |
| NASA Moonbase Update |
| The Solar Oberth Slingshot |
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
'Space-sickness is one of the most unpleasant sensations that a human being can experience. Not all are subject to it...'
'...I saw a nice black heavy-looking cloud sailing by just now, and I can get the electrical machine out in five minutes to draw it down.'
'From a distance it could resolve the cosmic rays reflected from various substances.'
'The answer to the dumb student's prayer.'
'He had travelled the space-lanes of the solar system for the greater part of his life...'
'The dinner was excellent. It was completely vegetarian — grown in specially prepared gardens in this Moon base...'
'Telepaths had their sensitiveness enlarged to an immense range by the pin-sets, which were telepathic amplifiers adapted to the mammal mind.'
'It was a relief to enter one of the comfortable autos, whisper a direction down the tube, and just know that you would be taken to your destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest manner.'
'But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced...'
