"In 2071, Janet Pilgrim, a recent high school graduate,
suddenly finds herself unable to afford college.... In 2071, "astronaut"
is only slightly more glamorous then "truck driver" is today. But the
money is good, and one run to Mars - the "armpit of the Solar System"
will fund several years of college. Even better, she won't have to face
her friends."
Red Mars
(Mars Trilogy) Kim Stanley Robinson - 1993
Amazon: US
UK
Mars Crossing
Geoffrey A. Landis - 2000
Amazon: US
UK
Solar
Sci-Fi Part 2: More Resources & Other Space
Literature....
David Hardy's
vision of space
tourists learning "to cope with zero-gravity;
inside (behind a plexiglass screen) and outside, in
the vacuum of space
but (of course) wearing spacesuits," Credits: AstroArt
In this section we give links to various science
fiction resources on the web related to the hard science,
solar system based theme.
We also provide some resources
for those who want to write their own Solar Sci-Fi.
Black
Cat Press Bookstore - "offers both new
and previously out-of-print books by illustrator/author
Ron
Miller... as well as long out-of-print classic
science fiction and fantasy novels. All Black Cat
Press books feature covers and interior art by Ron
Miller"
An anthology of hard science fiction
short stories in which the authors attempt to
keep the plots and details within scientifically
valid limits.
The "contributions include both original stories
and reprints from some of the top
science fiction writers working today".
The writer and editor Mike Brotherton obtained
backing from the National Science Foundation (NSF)
for the project on the basis that the stories
could be used in astronomy courses to illuminate
particular concepts under discussion.
Jeff
Russell's Starship Dimensions - relative
dimensions of all sorts of Sci-Fi spaceships, space
stations, etc. Includes a few "real space"
structures.
Futurism*
Futurists differ from writers of hard sci-fi only in
that they don't use stories to explore plausible scenarios
for future developments in technology and society. Instead
they simply discuss the possibilities in terms of what's
reasonable and feasible.
Here are some links to various types of futurist sites
and lists of such sites:
The Institute
For The Future (IFTF) is an "independent, nonprofit
research group with over 40 years of forecasting
experience" in "identifying emerging trends and
discontinuities that will transform global society
and the global marketplace".
a global collaborative research platform
created to identify and facilitate discussion around
future disruptions, opportunities and trends in science
and technology. Signtific is completely open, easy
to use, and accessible to anyone. The project is designed
to leverage the growing network of science and technology
experts and grassroots enthusiasts across the globe
through collaborative physical and virtual workshops
and engaging collaborative forecasting games. Signtific
invites scientists, engineers, designers, researchers,
technologists and creative thinkers from any discipline
to participate in discussing, dissecting and discovering
both nascent and time tested ideas that will shape
our future.
The Signtific
Lab is a site where collaborative tools are
used to carry out "Massively Multiplayer Thought
Experiments". Its first experiment was called "Free
Space" and examined the potential of CubeSats
to allow large numbers of individuals to participate
directly in space activities:
When
Tang Met Laika, - The Denver Center for
the Performing Arts commissioned thIS new play, which
had its premier in Denver on January 22, 2010. The
work is written by Rogelio
Martinez and this production is directed by Terrence
J. Nolen. The short synopsis:
Heavy issues confront weightlessness when Soviets
and Americans join together to establish the International
Space Station. Playwright Rogelio Martinez explores
the 1990’s Cold War thaw as two intensely driven
people find love in space, a breakfast drink,
a stray dog and a ghost named Yuri.
Rocket
Girl - a play about Mary Sherman Morgan who
invented "Hydyne, the rocket propellant that boosted
America’s first satellite, Explorer I, into space".
Actor Bill
Pullman has written a play based on the experiences
of the ISS
Expedition 6 crew, which was temporarily stranded
on the station after the Columbia accident. When
they did return to earth, their Soyuz had a malfunction
that sent them far off course.
3D
Starmaps - get the constellations right regardless
of where you send your characters in the galaxy.
3-D
Star Maps of Nearby Stars, the Pleiades, Orion, and
the Local Group by Kurt A. Foge This ebook explains
how to "make stellariums, a scale model of the
Solar System" and includes a "brief explanation
about interstellar travel". He says it is a "great
resource for astronomers, schools, and science fiction
writers. ... [and] for science projects."
Space
Tourism in Science Fiction at Spacefuture
- reviews several stories that involve space tourism.
Also, it discusses how none of teh stories show that
space tourism could be a major commercial activity
that dwarfs government programs.
Sci Fi Arizona
provides this rich page of resources to aid the aspiring
sci-fi writer. Includes articles on topics ranging from
those specific to sci-f,i such as dealing with the speed
of light limit, to general writing techniques like producing
believable dialogs.
