Robert Heinlein's Future History: revolutions;
Larry Niven's Known Space History: asteroids;
Poul Anderson's Tales Of The Flying Mountains: the Asteroid Revolution!
In the twenty first century of the Known Space Timeline:
"Colonization of the Belt.
"Third Mars expedition.
"Belt becomes independent government.
"Interstellar ramrobots launched; UN-Belt cooperation.
"Colony slowboats launched."
-Larry Niven, Tales Of Known Space (New York, 1975), p. viii.
Their titles make the two Tales collections sound like companion volumes. In both histories, the Belt launches STL interstellar craft. Niven's Belters did not need a revolution unless it occurred between stories and was not mentioned in the Timeline.
4 comments:
Though Jerry Pournelle wrote an essay "Those Pesky Belters and their Torch Ships" pointing out that since the center of the asteroid belt is closer to Earth than any point within the Belt a unified Belt govenment that is not centered on or near Earth is very unlikely. He then points out that for a 'nation' of multiple worlds covering just part of the solar system, the moons of Jupiter (or Saturn) make more sense.
Kaor, Jim!
It's possible I read that Pournelle essay a long time ago, maybe in his collection A STEP FARTHER OUT. I'll have to check my copy--he raised intriguing points.
Ad astra! Sean
Yes. That collection is where I read it.
Kaor, Jim!
Good! Now I know for sure where to find Pournelle's essay.
Ad astra! Sean
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