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
"Another reason why privacy could be just a passing fad, terrorism is going to get too good. [1997]"
- Larry Niven
 |
| Meteor Hulls Ship | ||
| A small meteor tears all the way through a ship |
An early description of the likely result of a meteor striking a spacecraft.
 (Meteor hulls ship in 'Moon People of Jupiter' by Isaac Nathanson) A cursory examination revealed that a giant meteoroid, no doubt weighing many tons, and perhaps moving as fast as we were, had struck the “Martian” almost amidships; and at the extreme velocities with which both bodies were traveling, had torn clear through and passed out on the other side, as if the armor-steel sides of the vessel were made of paper, leaving two great gaping holes. The propulsion machinery, as well as a portion of the gravity repulsion engines, were wrecked and melted by the force of the impact. Fortunate it was that our air-purifiers and cylinders of oxygen up forward were intact, as also our stores of power in the stern of the ship. The air-tight, multicellular structure of the "Martian” prevented the entire loss of air and heat through the huge gaping holes; as otherwise we should all have been suffocated or been immediately frozen from the exposure to the intense cold of outer space. |
| Technovelgy from Moon People Of Jupiter,
by Isaac R. Nathanson. Published by Amazing Stories Quarterly in 1931 Additional resources -
|
Here's another illustrated example of a meteorite striking a ship, from Liners of Space (1930) by Jim Vanny.
A blinding flash — a terrific impact — a deafening report within the car!
The Swan was drifting aimlessly. The meteorite had only glanced off the cutter but had delivered a blow of sufficient force to disable the ship. A quick nspection showed that a large section of the nose together with part of the operating equipment had been torn away and the air in that compartment had escaped. The ship was helpless.
HEY charged on. And then, without warning, came a sudden strange sound from the detectors and Cameron’s warning shout. Frantically he fought with the control. Too late!
(Meteorite Impact from 'Liners of Space' by Jim Vanny)
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Moon People Of Jupiter
More Ideas
and Technology by Isaac R. Nathanson
Tech news articles related to Moon People Of Jupiter
Tech news articles related to works by Isaac R. Nathanson
| JAXA Int Ball 2 Coming Right Along As Star Wars Remote |
| Space Traffic Management (STM) Needed Now |
| Denmark Joins The 'Zero Debris Charter' To Clean Up Space |
| Starship Special Edition For Lunar Shuttle |
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
'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'
'Oscar picked up a trowel. 'I'm the tool for the mortar,' the little trowel squeaked cheerfully.'
'... he waited for the robotrix attendant to finish fueling up his ship.'
The Roujin Z system provides care to fully bedridden patients - and then some!
'Aerostat meant anything that hung in the air. This was an easy trick to pull off nowadays.'
'The Ringworld had no horizon. There was no line where the land curved away from the sky.'
'An adjustment panel outside the door would cause it to extrude various appurtenances in memory plastic...'
'Annealed in any shape for a time, and codified, the structure of that shape is retained down to the molecules.'
It's not really polite to tear the limbs off robots.
'...the imaginary companions discovered by needful children.'
