OdyIsssues 23, Jeanuary y 2013

Image courtesy Jim Burns The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society The Odyssey Infinite Space Interview: In This Issue l The Odyssey Infinite Space Interview: David Brin Radical Vectors: Guest Columnist With degrees from Caltech and the University l of California-San Diego, Dr Brin serves on Richard Hayes on gyroscopes, spindizzys advisory panels ranging from astronomy, and anti-gravity. NASA innovative concepts, nanotech, and l Titans of the BIS: Ken Gatland SETI, to national defence and technological l Book Review: 2312 ethics. His nonfiction book The Transparent Society explores the dangers of secrecy and l Echoes from the Future loss of privacy in our modern world. It l Dates for Your Diary garnered the prestigious Freedom of Speech Prize from the American Library Association. Has SF run its course now that we live in a In Next Month’s Issue age? Dreams become more complex, in coming l steps into our true. In large measure, that’s a good thing – Virtual Interview Chair and tells us how JBIS influenced the research certainly unavoidable. And yes, that means behind his famous novels on the the job of trying to project near-future trends terraforming of Mars! will become steadily more difficult: science fiction that is “hard” and focused on real l Odyssey remembers Sir Patrick Moore plausibilities. That may be why so few of us still write thirty to fifty year projections that fill the most thorny range. Think back forty years or so. If you brought forward a bright person from that time – David Brin is a scientist, inventor, and perhaps even your younger self – what would New York Times bestselling author. With he or she say? Half the time it would be books translated into twenty five “Wow! That’s amazing!” The other half: “You languages, he has won multiple Hugo, mean you future-folk are still doing that?” It is Nebula, and other awards. A film directed this combination of astonishing brilliance and by Kevin Costner was based on David’s dullard obstinacy that a writer must capture, novel . Other works have in order to make any fictional world seem been optioned by Paramount and Warner plausibly interesting and frustrating… as its Bros. David’s science-fictional “Uplift” citizens would certainly find it. As we find our saga explores genetic engineering of own incredible time. higher animals (such as dolphins) which Should we abandon human spaceflight allows them to speak. His new novel Editor: Mark Stewart from Tor Books is Existence (soon to be and concentrate on problems more close Layout and Design: Adrian Mann reviewed in Odyssey ). to home? (www.bisbos.com ) As a scientist and futurist, David is seen Is that a trick question? Indeed, I am known as frequently on television shows such as The “Contrary Brin” for eagerly trying assumption- Production Quality: Mel Hacker, David A. ArchiTechs , Universe , and Life After People (the busting concepts on for size. But I think I will Hardy, Martin Postranecky and John Silvester beg off doing that, this time, for a simple most popular show ever on the History Distribution and web support: reason: if we stop moving forward, on all Channel) – with many appearances on PBS, Ralph Timberlake, Andrew Vaudin and fronts… we’ll die. BBC and NPR. An inventor with many patents, Ben Jones he is in-demand to speak about future trends, In my newest novel, I portray some of the Odyssey is published every month by the keynoting for IBM, Google, Procter & Gamble, stark choices we face, in the context of the BIS and is circulated by email. Feedback SAP, Microsoft, Qualcomm, the Mauldin Great Silence or so-called “Fermi Paradox.” on the e-Magazine is welcome, including Group, and Casey Research, all the way to The question of why the cosmos seems so suggestions for future articles, via empty of signs of technological civilisation, think-tanks, Homeland Security, and the CIA. [email protected]

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: January 2013 www.bis-space.com 1 when our back-of-the-envelope calculations Problems that are a lot more complex and (using the famed Drake Equation) suggest it interesting than mere enslavement? should be everywhere. One whole class of Startide and The Uplift War depict this process explanations (I’ve catalogued about a near the end, with sapient dolphins, chimps hundred) is that young tech-races inevitably and others finding their way into their own, stumble into a mine field of failure modes. special kind of equality with us. In Existence , I These range from nuclear war and ecological have a look at the other end: where we are degradation all the way to the opposite right now, wrestling with the very notion of calamity, namely renunciation of ambition, uplift and the political fury that any effort clamping tight controls on science or grand might provoke, eliciting fierce opposition endeavours, seeking salvation and survival from both left and right. the way that many religions (and some Recent science has cast new light on the issue. scientists like Jared Diamond) recommend by We now know that dozens of Earthly species, turning away from frontiers. This general from cetaceans to crows to sea lions, seem to movement is already with us, though masked cluster just below dolphins and chimps at by many names. Anti-science attitudes appear roughly the same glass ceiling of intelligence, at both wings of the insipid “left-right axis,” language, problem-solving ability. How could and among those who claim that the thing that convergence be? And what has kept they despise is Western arrogance. In them all from bursting through? All but one, Existence , I portray many elements of this that is: we Homo sapiens. Oh, this endeavour movement, trying to show it in the best light will be tried, all right. The question is: will we possible – as some of the characters see it. have the wisdom to do it right? Though, as you might guess, I disagree. The “ Uplift ” universe contains many We may soon witness a sudden crash in the sentient species more advanced than price per watt of sustainable energy sources. humanity. How do you square this with the If so, it will have been science and investment Cell” process extrapolating and augmenting in Fermi paradox? that makes it so. The same may also happen forty years, allowing “smart mobs” of self- I don’t. I never claimed that the “ Uplift ” when we start mining asteroids, making organized citizens to swiftly detect threats universe was a “hard-SF” attempt to represent civilisation so rich we might turn the Earth and problems that used to be the province of our actual world (as are my novels Earth and into a park. At best, that is down the road slow and stodgy government agencies. quite a ways. But it will only happen if we Existence ). Yes, the “ Uplift ” series has a lot of If this does happen, then we just might invest. If we dare to try. science speculation in it. And I have some navigate that mine field of failure modes I authorial tricks I plan to use, in an attempt to The publishing landscape is changing: is discussed earlier! Indeed, this fluke invention cleverly make everything fit. But even if those the paperback novel doomed? may be just what’s needed, in order to be the gimmicks and innovations turn out to be No. But it will become a much more variable first sapient race to make it to the stars. logical and entertaining, this is still playing commodity. You’ll buy it from a kiosk, with a Is interstellar travel an unrealistic dream tennis with the net down. Lots of ideas. But cover of your own choosing. given that we have abandoned the Moon no attempt to say “this is how things are.” Overpopulation, resource depletion, and seem nowhere near sending humans Who are your favourite SF writers and why? global warming and religious to Mars? I suppose Earth and Existence were both fundamentalism all seem to be conspiring Oh, humans will go to Mars. I get to see nifty modelled somewhat on the works of the to create a very bleak future for concepts as an advisor to NASA’s Innovative greatest SF writer of the 1960s, the British humanity? Will humans still be around and Advanced Concepts Group. But as I said, wonder John Brunner. His stunning fifty years from now? life is complicated and nature a rigorous task- projections, like , shook up Yep. I’ll even offer you a wager, you and any mistress! It will come slower than science the world of ideas. reader of Odyssey ! Fifty quid? Seriously: those fiction expected. And when it does, we may Some authors achieve the pinnacle in SF, who shout criticism at failure modes and have to redefine “human” a bit when we talk creating a Self-Preventing Prophecy, a tale so mistakes – such critics are extremely valuable about the astronauts we send forth. stirring and scary that millions of readers then to society. They are the T-Cells of our You've returned to the “ Uplift ” universe do whatever they can to prevent it ever civilization’s immune system acting against many times in your novels. What’s the coming true. We are probably alive today error. Indeed, we are the only civilization in appeal? because of Dr Strangelove . We are free human history that deliberately fostered the Well, what’s not appealing about dolphins in because of Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four . We ingredients – freedom of speech, open space? Seriously, other authors dabbled in defend information more vigorously because information, a rambunctious personality the notion – that humans might pull other of Bradbury’s . I doubt I will fostered in myth, music and film – till millions creatures up to our level of sapience, achieve that level, though one must try. of citizens feel stoked to pounce upon language, tool-use and problem-solving skills. perceived errors and denounce them, Recent authors like Bacigalupi, Chabon, Stross, Pierre Boulle, Cordwainer Smith, H.G. Wells exposing them to searing light. Meiville, and older ones like Bear, Robinson, and others. Alas, all of them went for the Vinge, Banks, Baxter, Hamilton, and members Ironically, few of our T Cells ever have the simple plot, envisioning that humans then of the British SF Renaissance… these are the perspective to recognise that they, botch the job, doing it badly, immorally and in courageous ones who feel undaunted by the themselves, are emblematic of the health of secret. It occurred to me to try depicting a world’s complexity. They are explorers. And the civilization that they criticise. Heck, even future – say 200 years from now – when we so are most of you. parsing the sentence that came before this take on this task with the best of intentions i.e. Thank you, David Brin! one, and understanding the ironic assertion openly, with care and no aim of enslaving the that it represents, is extremely hard. newly uplifted creatures, but instead More on David: Think about that process and all the myriad expanding our diversity, insight and strength. http://www.davidbrin.com/ disasters that were narrowly avoided because The question then ensues…would not there someone blew the whistle. I depict this “T- be a lot of pain and problems anyway?

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: January 2013 www.bis-space.com 2 Radical Vectors: Guest Columnist Richard Hayes on gyroscopes, spindizzys and anti-gravity.

The other day, our Editor and I were reaction mass; or indeed anything which discussing his son's well-earned seems to propel the craft other than some admission to Imperial College London, kind of spinning motion. The temptation is to which is undoubtedly one of the finest look to reactionless propulsion from establishments for science and gyroscopes, and this might just permit some engineering in the world. of the supposedly more erratic behaviour It brought to mind the great Eric Laithwaite, that such objects are meant to demonstrate. who was professor of electrical engineering I expect that most BIS Members will be highly there for many years. Many Members of the sceptical about the existence of UFOs. I try to Society will probably remember Professor keep an open mind, but I fall into this Laithwaite for his proposals regarding a category myself. Most of the accounts of magnetic levitation transport system; but it UFOs can be explained fairly easily, but there was his suggestion that gyroscopes could are just a few reports of sightings which do be used as a basis for reactionless leave you thinking. I'll mention just one which propulsion that sticks firmly in my mind. The raised a question in my mind, partly because I Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 1974 came across it not in any dubious tome were particularly memorable, and it's hard supporting the existence of UFOs, but in a to forget his demonstrations of easily travel book. raising a spinning 40lb wheel over his head In the 1980s, the brothers Lawrence and with one hand! Lorne Blair wrote Ring of Fire about their The key point is the thought that gyroscopes extensive travels in Indonesia over the can be used to provide vertical lift, not just for devices that raise entire cities seem to use previous decade. One clear night they were their own weight but eventually for some rotation to create the antigravity field. lying on the deck of a boat, crewed by local means of transport. I know very well that this men, far from land out at sea. Suddenly doesn't work in practice – it violates Newton's One of the most extraordinary references "high in the sky ahead of us a white light arced Third Law, and it's really nothing more than appears in Hugo Gernsback's novel Ralph downwards, too slowly for a meteorite (sic), an effect of the precession of the gyroscope 124C41+ , published as long ago as 1911. The too fast for a falling satellite, came to a halt, induced by the torque; but if we can't story is remarkably far-sighted in predicting changed to a bright green, then ascended speculate a bit in the pages of Odyssey , then technical developments such as television, again in a different direction at immense speed where can we speculate? radar, fluorescent lighting, microfilm before abruptly vanishing. On its final streak it newspapers and solar power-plants; but the was occluding, leaving the impression of a There have certainly been suggestions over hero travels around the Solar System in a the years that it could form the basis of an course of vivid green stitches covering a good spaceship propelled by "gyroscopic anti- third of the sky" . "anti-gravity" machine, though that isn't a gravitators." Many of the other predictions correct use of the term since it's really a have come true – perhaps Gernsback knew The crew commented that it was a "good proposal that thrust can be produced from something about propulsion systems that we number two." The brothers asked what they the rotational force of the gyroscope. And this don't. The title of the book was probably meant, and were told that it was a leads to reactionless propulsion, in other more mysterious a century ago than it is in "Mericarocket," which was the locals' normal words to the concept that no outside force is these days of texting – the hero Ralph is able word for the orbiting satellites they often saw needed to produce movement. All of which is “to foresee for one-plus (i.e. for many)." I at night. The brothers made it clear that weird, and probably totally unfeasible, but wouldn't actually recommend the book as satellites certainly never behaved in that way. nonetheless fascinating. Just check out some top-quality fiction, but Gernsback was an So the crew explained that there were two of the televised demonstrations by the exceptional SF author – indeed, the "Hugo" types of Mericarocket. Number ones were engineer Sandy Kidd of the machine he made awards are named after him. "slow, steady travellers" moving across the sky in his garage – you could really believe it (in other words, genuine satellites). Number produces vertical lift. The area where reactionless propulsion has twos were rarer, like the one they'd just seen, really taken off (pardon the pun) is with UFOs. The concept of reactionless propulsion travelling very fast and erratically. And they Whether or not you actually believe these knew from their grandfathers that number occasionally features in science fiction. things exist, it's a fair bet that most people Perhaps we see an extension of the idea of twos had been around long before there will be familiar with the traditional shape of a were any number ones to be seen. gyroscopic antigravity in 's Cities in flying saucer. Most important is that there are Flight stories, so excellently reviewed by no thrusters, no obvious means of jet or There's probably an entirely natural Adrian Mann in Odyssey 14 . The "spindizzy" rocket propulsion, or any means of expelling explanation, but it makes you think.

A Generous Donation to the BIS Library

The Society would like to thank BIS in association with the BIS. It cost me $1.25 Member Ray Ward for donating a first (the price was, and still is, pencilled inside it). American edition of Arthur C. Clarke's The The shop had several copies, and I now regret Exploration of Space (published in 1952) to not scooping them all up! It's worth a bit more the library. This is a very welcome addition than $1.25 now. Later I got it signed by the to the Society's "Clarkives." author (I met him several times, and I can't As Ray told Odyssey after donating the remember exactly when he signed the book). volume: "I bought the book in 1973 in a Ray (left) donates a first edition of Arthur Clarke's second-hand bookshop on Hollywood The Exploration of Space to the BIS library, Boulevard in Los Angeles, while on a space passing the book into the safe hands of the buffs' trip to the south-western USA organised current BIS President, Alistair Scott.

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: January 2013 www.bis-space.com 3 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson Vignettes: Blue Streak

suggested it a few years later in 1989). Both ideas create powerful images in a novel in which the author finally leaves Mars behind and embraces the conquest of the whole Solar System. On Earth, the arrival of the steamship was the catalyst for colonial expansion in the nineteenth century. Man's conquest of space awaits a similar solution. We in the BIS already know this to be a truism, and we share it with the author. In this novel, we learn how this is finally achieved by the creation of thirty seven space elevators. Constantly filled to capacity, they enable traffic between Earth and space to increase by a factor of a hundred million. Even though it is written by an American, for me the book conjures up a vision of the British Empire in the nineteenth century. There are small colonies throughout the Reviewed by John Silvester, MBIS asteroid belt (resembling, perhaps, the islands of the South Pacific), and settlements on Mercury rotates slowly enough to allow a Ganymede, Europa, and even Io. A quiet person to walk on its surface and stay just confidence pervades the story as the author ahead of the dawn. This is what Kim Stanley takes us back-and-forth between settlements; Robinson tells us in his latest novel 2312 . He he knows he is writing about things that ingeniously makes use of this concept by could easily come to pass in the next three creating the “sun walkers,” people who spend hundred years. The book sometimes indulges their lives constantly striding the surface of in broad sweeping hypotheses; for example, Mercury and staying just ahead of the Sun, the idea of dismantling the Saturnian moon jumping out of harm’s way where the Dione and sending it into Venus, but we do battered irregular surface of the planet causes not get much information about the "Living in Carlisle, I am very close to a sudden leap of the Sun’s rays. They remind construction of the space elevators. At other Spadeadam where the first stage of Blue me of risk-takers on Earth, such as “train times more detail is provided; for example, Streak was static tested - I was born in 1973, surfers.” Then there is the city of Terminator the author's description of Titan's surface so too late, but people tell me of being able that travels on rails to keep ahead of the Sun. (I love the idea that the reason for its to hear, when the wind was right, the motors The author originally proposed this idea in colonisation comes down to the abundant running while firing under test. Another 1986, when he suggested that a base on supplies of frozen nitrogen, which are sent to sorry tale of British expertise, squandered. Mercury could avoid sunlight by constantly Mars). If you have the time, you will find the Hopefully SKYLON will buck this trend." staying in the temperate twilight region near book readable, even at 561 pages. Ian Sharp, MBIS the terminator (Geoffrey Landis also The Titans of the BIS - Remembering Ken Gatland

"I was a colleague of Ken Gatland in the early 1960s, when we were both working for Associated Iliffe Press at their premises in Stamford Street on the South Bank. I understood that Ken had been Editor of the astronautics section in The Aeroplane , a Temple Press publication which Iliffe had closed and absorbed into Flight International , whereupon Ken had joined Iliffe Books . At that time his main effort was being devoted to Astronautics in the Sixties , published by Iliffe Books in 1962. Although not in Iliffe Books myself I had frequent business in their offices, opportunities for animated discussions with Ken, for I had already been a Member of the BIS for some years. He later proposed me as a Fellow, and I remained in touch with him for many years, long after we had both left Iliffe ." Meeting of minds: the Russian astronomer Alla Masevich visits Britain in 1961 to locate, with the help of the Jodrell Bank radio telescope, a Venus spacecraft that Russia has lost in space. Tony Devereux, FBIS. Ken, then Vice President of the BIS, can be seen on the left, with Patrick Moore on the right. For more on Ken: http://tinyurl.com/canneoj Photo courtesy of the BIS archive.

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: January 2013 www.bis-space.com 4 Echoes of the Future Dates for Your Diary

This year, as part of our 2013 lecture programme, we are delighted to welcome back to the BIS, Dr Lewis Dartnell, Dr Sheila Kanani and Dr Melanie Windridge. Sheila will be talking about Planetary Moons on the 18 February, Lewis will give an astrobiology talk on alien evolution on the 8 May, and Melanie will talk about the Northern Lights on the 22 May. Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham (recent recipients of one of the prestigious 2012 “Arthurs”) will also be presenting at the BIS in April. Climbing towards its high altitude Mach 4 separation, the mighty carrier aircraft and payload are Astronomers to Space Authors to shadowed by a TSR2 chaseplane from Boscombe Down. Rocket Scientists BAC EAG 4396 and EAG 4413 altitude, where it would be released at Mach Meet them all at Space Day at Droitwich During the mid-1960s, BAC (British Aircraft 4, igniting its liquid fuel engine for the climb Library, Victoria Square, Droitwich Spa, Corporation) Warton undertook a series of to orbit, and then gliding back to Earth for a Worcestershire. more than 50 design studies, designated P42. conventional landing. 12 January 2013, 09.30-16.30 This study, EAG4396, was for a Mach 4 carrier Everything about this project would have (Free Admission) aircraft to carry the EAG 4413 spaceplane. been ground-breaking, from the under- ESA Astronaut Training and HSF Plans for carriage to the ejectable crew capsule, It was to be powered by six Rolls-Royce Type the Next Decade: allowing British astronauts routine access to C turboramjets, 150ft (45.7m) long, with a Tim Peake wingspan of 130ft (39.6m) and an all-up space with a reusable system. weight of nearly 500,000lb (226,757kg), This was the 1960s; the British aircraft industry 5 February 2013, 7 - 8.30 pm making it the heaviest aircraft to be could do anything ! NASA’s Lunar Roving Vehicle designed and built in the United Kingdom. Adrian Mann, MBIS Chris Riley It was to carry the spaceplane to high 6 March 2013, 7 - 8.30 pm The Great Space Debate: Man versus Machines Chris Welch and Stuart Eves 21 March 2013, 7 - 8.30 pm Prestige Lecture: Teaching Old Spacecraft New Tricks Robert Farquhar The EAG 4413 Orbiter, complete with liquid fuelled second stage. 3 April 2013, Doors Open 5.30 pm, Lecture Starts 6.30 pm For further details on all upcoming The Odyssey Year in Review 2012 BIS events see: http://www.bis-space.com/whats-on We look back at a good year for the BIS e-magazine in the Join Us on Facebook Gallery section of the BIS website: Don’t forget to join us on Facebook at: http://www.bis- http://www.facebook.com/bis.space space.com/gallery And The gallery includes http://www.facebook.com/groups/27273 the work of two of 56275/ Odyssey’s favourite artists: Bruce Pennington and Richard Clifton-Dey. Jim Burns We are grateful to distinguished SF artist Jim Burns for the image in this month’s masthead. For more on Jim’s remarkable portfolio see: http://www.alisoneldred.com/artistJim - Odyssey 15 (May) celebrated the Odyssey 16 (June) showcased the Burns.html artwork of Bruce Pennington. artwork of Richard Clifton-Dey.

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: January 2013 www.bis-space.com 5