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"In 1970 I found little difficulty staying 30 years ahead of the man in the street, and now I find it difficult to stay 18 months ahead of the man on the street."
- Vernor Vinge
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| Meteor Hulls Ship | ||
| A small meteor tears all the way through a ship |
An early description of the likely result of a meteor striking a spacecraft.
 (Meteor hulls ship in 'Moon People of Jupiter' by Isaac Nathanson) A cursory examination revealed that a giant meteoroid, no doubt weighing many tons, and perhaps moving as fast as we were, had struck the “Martian” almost amidships; and at the extreme velocities with which both bodies were traveling, had torn clear through and passed out on the other side, as if the armor-steel sides of the vessel were made of paper, leaving two great gaping holes. The propulsion machinery, as well as a portion of the gravity repulsion engines, were wrecked and melted by the force of the impact. Fortunate it was that our air-purifiers and cylinders of oxygen up forward were intact, as also our stores of power in the stern of the ship. The air-tight, multicellular structure of the "Martian” prevented the entire loss of air and heat through the huge gaping holes; as otherwise we should all have been suffocated or been immediately frozen from the exposure to the intense cold of outer space. |
| Technovelgy from Moon People Of Jupiter,
by Isaac R. Nathanson. Published by Amazing Stories Quarterly in 1931 Additional resources -
|
Here's another illustrated example of a meteorite striking a ship, from Liners of Space (1930) by Jim Vanny.
A blinding flash — a terrific impact — a deafening report within the car!
The Swan was drifting aimlessly. The meteorite had only glanced off the cutter but had delivered a blow of sufficient force to disable the ship. A quick nspection showed that a large section of the nose together with part of the operating equipment had been torn away and the air in that compartment had escaped. The ship was helpless.
HEY charged on. And then, without warning, came a sudden strange sound from the detectors and Cameron’s warning shout. Frantically he fought with the control. Too late!
(Meteorite Impact from 'Liners of Space' by Jim Vanny)
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