Energy vs. Information in Shaping the Future
The pulp era of science fiction was filled with space ships and laser guns, death rays and jet packs, and, of course, flying cars. But for all the prescience of the science fiction greats, none […]
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IT’S (NOT) ROCKET SCIENCE: Does Science Fiction Matter?
It sure does to me. It’s the reason I worked on Apollo. When President John F. Kennedy gave his “We choose to go to the Moon” speech at Rice University in Houston, Texas in September of 1962, […]
Discovering the Invasion
The Invasion by Robert Willey takes us back to the era of a war torn United States fighting the good fight. At the same time, the story also opens the reader’s mind to some of the most fantastic speculations in space travel of the period.
What is the Vampire of Science Fiction?
I’m not talking about the salt vampire of Star Trek or anything so literal. I’m talking about vampires in the sense that they fill fantasy and horror in a continuing and ubiquitous fashion despite being […]
What’s the Deal with 3D Printing?
3D printing has popped up in science fiction for ages: recall the Star Trek crew materializing food in the microwave-like “replicator” or Neal Stephenson’s “matter compilers” in The Diamond Age. The appeal of creating whatever […]
Rockets and Missiles: Past and Future
Rockets and Missiles: Past and Future by Martin Caidin is literally a blast from the past. It is a delightfully historical account of man’s progression into space – because rockets are cool.
The Apollo Program, A Personal Journal: Ground Computers
>With limited computer resources onboard Apollo, the real “heavy lifting” had to be done on the ground, in Houston’s Mission Control Center.
Meditation on Cassini
Just stop for a moment and look at the picture above. It’s a picture of Earth as seen from the planet Saturn. The photo was taken by the Cassini Spacecraft yesterday. Just look at it […]
Interview with Science Fiction Legend Ben Bova
Today we are joined by science fiction legend Dr. Ben Bova. Ben has served as an editor of both Analog Science Fact & Fiction and Omni magazines. He has written over 120 books of fiction […]
Blogging about the Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop for Writers
Quite a few attendees are blogging this week about their experiences at the workshop. Christian Ready has compiled a list, and will continue to update it through next week. I offer it to you here […]
HOW WILL CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT SCIENCE FICTION?
Guest Post by Eric Del Carlo In 2005, the year of Hurricane Katrina, we broke the alphabet. Storms which brew up in the Atlantic and grind toward the Gulf of Mexico get named alphabetically. It’s a […]
The Apollo Program, A Personal Journal: Apollo Guidance Computer
The first task I was assigned in October of 1968 was to determine exactly how the onboard autopilot was supposed to operate during reentry, and that meant digging through the inner workings of the Apollo Guidance Computer itself.
The Apollo Program, A Personal Journal: Entry Corridor
Before I could develop a backup plan for the reentry of the Apollo Command Module, I had to get answers to two questions.
The Science and Engineering Applications of Zombies
I just watched World War Z last week, and it was not my first zombie movie of the year. It probably will not be my last. Zombies are the new vampire. They’re everywhere in every […]
The Apollo Program, A Personal Journal: High-G Roller Coaster
The Apollo Command Module is shaped like an oversized Hershey’s Kiss and entered Earth’s atmosphere broadside first, giving it all the aerodynamics of a misshapen rock.
Please Support the Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop for Writers
Like science in your science fiction? Like stories set in space that aren’t full of errors? Like to inspire the next generation to pursue careers in science? Consider making a donation to the Launch Pad […]
Bieber to go to Space! Who should be Next?
I was struck by two news items this week. The first was that Justin Bieber has signed up for a trip into space. He’d like to do a concert from there. Whether or not you […]
Science Fiction and UFOs
I remember when I joined the Science Fiction Book Club back in 1963, one of the selections was Donald Keyhoe’s bestseller UFOs Are Real. I bought it and The Man in the High Castle and […]
The Apollo Program, A Personal Journal: Hand-Held Calculators (Circa 1968)
The first manned landing on the Moon occurred in 1969. The first hand-held calculator didn’t come on the market until 1972. So we got men to the Moon using pencil and paper and a slide rule. Really!
A New Space Telescope Helps to Usher in a New Future
I think this is pretty cool. A company with plans to mine asteroid, Planetary Resources, Inc., has just announced that they’re putting a telescope in space and they’re inviting the public to crowdfund it AND […]
The Apollo Program, A Personal Journal: Godforsaken Place
In 1968, NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center in Clear Lake City, Texas was a hot and humid place, built three years earlier on a thousand acres of undeveloped cow pasture 25 miles southeast of downtown Houston, in the middle of nowhere.
Small Star Trek Spoiled Science Spoiler
So like a lot of people, I saw Star Trek Into Darkness last week. I liked the casting, the acting, many of the effects. I had problems with the storyline and a number of plot […]
The Apollo Program, A Personal Journal: “We Choose To Go To The Moon”
This post has been removed because its content may be incorporated into a forthcoming book by the author. To find more articles by Jack Clemons, go here. Information about Jack’s new book will be […]
All Aboard for Mars! A True Story
This is not fiction. Your mission, should you accept it, is to go to Mars and die there. I get a bit cynical about this sort of thing,
The Iron Man Cometh
Welcome internet traveler. I will be stockpiling neatly organized bits into a collective known as a blog along this portion of your journey. Do not fear for your personal safety, as I will take great […]
Hide and Seek with Marvin the Martian
Ignorance is never better than knowledge. – Enrico Fermi When I was just a little tyke, driving to Logan Airport in Boston meant, as today, enduring the unavoidable traffic jam. Conversing in the family car […]
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?
Why don’t American kids dream of being astronauts anymore? In Japan, interest in space is at a historically high level. I get slightly snarky about AKB48.
The Art of the IAAA: David A. Hardy – The King of Space Art
Today we begin a new bi-weekly feature that introduces the art and history of the members of the International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA), a group of artists who have as their collective forte the […]
IT’S (NOT) ROCKET SCIENCE: The International Space Station
I was watching the TV commercial featuring the Space Shuttle Endeavor the other night – you know, the one where a truck tows the Shuttle through the streets of Los Angeles to its permanent exhibit […]
Ten Science Fiction Movies that are Really Fantasy
Without belaboring the concept, let’s do it. 1. Star Wars. The force is magic, as are most other elements. Just because something has robots, spaceships, ray guns doesn’t make it science fiction. 2. Inception. Entering […]
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