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"The SF approach: an awareness that things could have been different, that this is one of many possible worlds, that if you came to this world from some other planet, this would be a science fiction world."
- Neal Stephenson
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| Solar Engine | ||
| A space ship that gets it motive power from the rays of the sun. |
| That the ship had the necessary starting power was already proved by the fact that She had lifted and her acceleration was being maintained. She was of the more recent type that utilized solar rays in transit, and there was therefore no concern over energy once she had got out into the airless void where the sun’s rays shone always burning hot...
 (Ship controls from A Matter of Size) ... the solar motors of the ship were whining faintly but evenly. |
| Technovelgy from A Matter of Size,
by Harry Bates. Published by Astounding Science Fiction in 1934 Additional resources -
|
Compare to the solar-powered aircraft from The Black Star Passes (1930) by John W. Campbell.
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| Reflect Orbital Sunlight On Demand |
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