Space.com: “Spaceport America: First Looks at a New Space Terminal”
So awesome. I’ve been very skeptical of the prospects for this most delicate of industries: space tourism. It seems like it’s probably just one catastrophe away from being set back 20 years or more. Seeing the artist’s rendition (below) of Spaceport America sets afire something in me that has lain dormant since my childhood: hope. Hope that I may go into space one day. Hope that there will be a colony of people living on the moon, in a space station, on an asteroid, on Mars. Is it a sign of my nerdiness that I have to hold back tears?
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4 September 2007 at 14:05:27
Donna Adams
You are not a nerd, my husband. You are a dreamer and I LOVE that about you!
4 September 2007 at 18:47:39
Melinda Weathers
I was going to say that yes, you are a nerd, but then Donna said that nice thing above so now I feel kind of bad. But not bad ENOUGH not to say that I think you’re a nerd anyways. :) Speaking of nerds, I’ve been reading the Skylark series recently. It’s good sci-fi. It’s the type where they go into space and meet green men and have space battles and such. It’s a lot of fun. Although I feel like I might be missing something since I think it was written in the 20’s when this stuff was even further off than it is now, and I take a lot if it for granted! Although, I can see why it’s a classic because even though it was written so long ago (technologically) it’s still pretty cool. Oh, except that the women in it aren’t exactly the utmost in feminism, but I guess it could have been worse.
4 September 2007 at 18:51:00
Melinda Weathers
Oh, and is it just me, or does that thing look a lot like a uterus?
4 September 2007 at 19:41:52
Jason Adams
It does kind of look like a uterus. Maybe it symbolizes humanity’s birth into space. Or maybe the designer has a lot of repressed feelings. Either way, I now have to be sick.
I’ve never read the Skylark series, but it looks interesting. What drew you to it?
4 September 2007 at 20:31:31
Melinda Weathers
My step-dad loaned me Triplanetary by the same author, which I really liked. (Actually, he loaned it to John, mistaking him as the sci-fi fan of the family). I told him I liked it, and he didn’t have the whole Lensman series at the time, so he lent me the Skylark series instead. I’ve had it for a while, but I just started reading it after finishing Winter’s Heart.
I’ve always liked sci-fi when I read it, it’s just that I haven’t read much of it for some reason. But now I have a huge resource in that my step-dad has a huge sci-fi library, so I’ll have to get going on my sci-fi reading :)
4 September 2007 at 21:39:59
Jason Adams
My first stepfather bequeathed me his sci-fi collection, though it was not exactly “great”. At least not what is extant. I haven’t read much stuff that old besides Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Edgar Rice Burroughs (if you can consider that sci-fi). My stepfather’s taste was more Clifford D. Simak, Heinlein, Clarke and Asimov. Clifford D. Simak was the first SF I read and it ignited the fire in me. I actually didn’t get into fantasy until John and Scott Rogers introduced me to Jordan.
So would you suggest starting with Triplanetary if I were to pick up some E.D. Smith?
6 September 2007 at 11:05:39
Melinda Weathers
Hmm… I’m enjoying Skylark in that it’s a very classic story where a guy builds spaceships and meets aliens and has space battles. In Triplanetary, I don’t think the main viewpoint was a human, so it’s very interesting but you don’t relate in quite the same way. I guess Skylark gives me more of a fun space discovery feel to it (which is why your post reminded me of it.)
I’m a big Asimov fan too, actually. I loved the Foundation series. I read a bunch of his non-fiction too. I also very much enjoy Heinlein. I don’t think I’ve read anything by Simak though. What would you recommend?
6 September 2007 at 12:21:25
Jason Adams
I loved the Foundation series, too. If you want to check out Simak, I think his best work is City. The Goblin Reservation is really good as well — sort of an early hybrid fantasy/sci-fi.
6 September 2007 at 17:11:42
Israel Kloss
I don’t care if its nerdy. I just got chills from the thought of it!