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"Science fiction and science have always danced around each other. Science fiction is the subconscious of science."
- Greg Bear
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| Tag-Along Balloon | ||
| A bladder-like device that both finds and temporarily fixes leaks in moon tunnels or space station habitats. |
You're in a space station or habitat in a vacuum. One of the most serious dangers you face is the loss of air; how can you find and fix leaks?
| There were perhaps a dozen bladder-like objects in the tunnel, the size and shape of toy balloons. They seemed to displace exactly their own weight of air; they floated without displaying much tendency to rise or settle. Konski batted one out of his way and answered me before I could ask.
"This piece of tunnel was pressurized today," he told me. "These tag-alongs search out stray leaks. They're sticky inside. They get sucked up against a leak, break, and the goo gets sucked in, freezes and seals the leak." "Is that a permanent repair?" I wanted to know. "Are you kidding? It just shows the follow-up man where to weld." |
| From Gentlemen, Be Seated,
by Robert Heinlein. Published by Argosy in 1948 Additional resources -
|
This is such a simple solution to the problem. The slow leak of air causes the balloons to move to the source of the problem. When they are sucked up against the small hole, they are popped, releasing material to stop up the leak.
Obviously, this would only work with small leaks.
Speaking of larger leaks, compare this to the smoke-jets from Leo Zagat's 1932 story The Great Dome of Mercury.
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Additional
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More Ideas
and Technology from Gentlemen, Be Seated
More Ideas
and Technology by Robert Heinlein
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Tech news articles related to works by Robert Heinlein
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| Bezos Invites You To New Life In Off-World Colonies |
| Build Your Own Space Suit For Cheap |
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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 Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
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