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
"I myself feel that our country, for whose Constitution I fought in a just war, might as well have been invaded by Martians and body snatchers."
- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
 |
| Space Men | ||
| Beings who travel and work in space. |
This is probably the first use of this tem.
| As the Space Rover swung away, to the surprise and consternation of the Tanarkans, Alan began to work feverishly over the various cells and circuits. Phyllis was ever at his side. As we swung away from the city the space men from Tanark followed us. But only for a short distance. Their speed could never equal that of the Space Rover. Two hours later we descended again on the city. |
| Technovelgy from The Exiles of Venus,
by Jim Vanny. Published by Wonder Stories in 1931 Additional resources -
|
Just a year later, this phrase appeared in Revolt of the Star Men, by Raymond Z. Gallun:
Just ten years later, this phrase was familiar enough to lose its hyphen; listen to this speech given to raw recruits in Robert Heinlein's 1940 story Misfit:
"But if you behave yourself, and listen to the advice of the old spacemen, you'll come out of it strong and healthy, with a little credit stored up in the bank, and a lot of knowledge and experience that you wouldn't get in forty years on Earth. You'll be men, and you'll know it.
Compare to astronaut from The Death's Head Meteor (1930) by Neil R. Jones,
space pirate from Evans of the Earth-Guard (1930) by Edmond Hamilton,
astrogator from The Conquest of Space (1931) by David Lasser, space-sailor from The Star-Roamers (1933) by Edmond Hamilton,
spacedog from A Question of Salvage (1939) by Malcolm Jameson,
space marines from Misfit (1939) by Robert Heinlein,
rocketeer from Sunward Flight (1943) by Leo Zagat and space cadet from Sunward Flight (1943) by Leo Zagat.
Why couldn't these polar fish survive the cold of space? Simply because the protoplasm of their tissues, based on water, would instantly become solid, and in solids as I have said, there can be no real life except perhaps in the form of suspended animation. The Space Men face no such danger, for first, their bodies are protected by this heat-resisting outer covering; and second, the liquid in their veins freezes only at absolute zero, and since it is radio-active—producing heat from within itself—it cannot get that cold even in the void. And that, friends, is the whole stupendous simple explanation.
"Now about our job -- We didn't get one of the easy repair-and-recondition jobs on the Moon, with week-ends at Luna City, and all the comforts of home... You'll get space sick, and so homesick you can taste it, and agoraphobia. If you aren't careful you'll get ray-burnt...
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Exiles of Venus
More Ideas
and Technology by Jim Vanny
Tech news articles related to The Exiles of Venus
Tech news articles related to works by Jim Vanny
| Is China Mining Helium-3 On The Moon's Farside? |
| Solitary Black Hole Wanders In Space |
| Spaceplane From Virgin Atlantic |
| Taikonauts Exercise In China's Tiangong Space Station |
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
'...small electric motors at the principal joints worked the prosthetic framework by means of steel cables...'
'Living protoplasm incorporated into the Ampek F-a2 recording system...'
'Twoflower's Luggage, which was currently ambling along on its little legs...'
'He came to as the ship went into free flight, arching in a high parabola over the plains...'
'The peculiar quality of this light, which gave it its great preeminence over all other penetrating rays...'
'The overworked leg motor would have to cool down before he could work on it...'
‘Where to, sport?’ the starter at cab relay asked.
