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
"My father was a master mechanic; I grew up with a screwdriver in one hand and a pair of pliers in the other."
- Frank Herbert
 |
| JAL Shuttle | ||
| Shuttle capable of attaining low earth orbit. |
When this novel was written, I think that many people believed that this technology was relatively close. However, while passenger jets that attain these speeds are in development, it's also true that the fastest civilian airliner, the Concorde, was retired from active use this year.
However, in the future Earth of Neuromancer, just hop on board a Japan Air Lines shuttle. Nothing to worry about; they monitor your vital signs just as a matter of procedure.
| "You've been up, haven't you?" Molly asked, as he squirmed his way back into the deep temperfoam couch on the JAL shuttle. "Nah. Never travel much, just for biz." The steward was attaching readout trodes to his wrist and left ear. He closed his eyes and told himself the shuttle was only a big airplane, one that flew very high. it smelled like and airplane, like new clothes and chewing gum and exhaustion. He listened to the piped koto music and waited. Twenty minutes, then gravity came down on him like a great soft hand with bones of ancient stone. |
| Technovelgy from Neuromancer,
by William Gibson. Published by Phantasia Press in 1984 Additional resources -
|
So what do you need to get to LEO? A hardy sort of vehicle (able to deal with the heat of re-entry as well as the cold of space) and something that will push it to a velocity of about 7,800 meters per second tangent to the curve of the earth. For a great technical description, see Getting to Low Earth Orbit.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Neuromancer
More Ideas
and Technology by William Gibson
Tech news articles related to Neuromancer
Tech news articles related to works by William Gibson
| SpaceX Rocket Shuttle Point-To-Point On Earth |
| CORLEO Robotic Horse Concept Looks Ready To Ride |
| Futuristic Transit Elevated Bus Never Really Worked |
| Japan Automated Cargo Transport |
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
'...war-balloons, or, as it would be more correct to call them, navigable aerostats.'
'This robot is a creature... It is a manlike being. Therefore, like any other talking, thinking man, he is entitled to a court trial!'
'...small electric motors at the principal joints worked the prosthetic framework by means of steel cables...'
