The Leonora Christine is bound for the third planet of Beta Virginis, not that it will arrive there. A probe has beamed data back to Earth. The blog also has images for Beta Centauri (scroll down) (for the image, see here) and Beta Crucis (scroll down) (for images, see here, here, here, here and here).
The Leonora Christine operates herself but men find it necessary to stand by. How will we feel about traveling in self-driving cars?
"There was no space to spare in space." (p. 27)
A beautiful sentence:
eight words of one syllable each;
two meanings of "space";
three words, "space," "spare" and "space," differing by a single letter;
the remaining words serving to connect these three.
An approving tick if such a sentence appeared in an essay at school.
Chapter 1 was Stockholm. Chapter 2 was arrival in the ship. Chapter 3 is departure.
12 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Meaning the "Leonora Christine," large as it had to be to accommodate 50 persons in reasonable comfort, was still not that BIG? I can see that as being likely!
And I rather like the idea of self driving cars! It would mean blind people could own cars. And it might be convenient even for sighted people during long drives or in strange locations (instruct the computer to take you where you want to go).
Sean
Sean,
Would you feel safe?
Paul.
IMSM (it's been a LONG time since I read T0), while Leonora Christine (did anybody call her "Lenny" or "Elsie"?) may have been able to fly herself, but there doesn't seem to be "anybody home" on the order of Muddlin' Through ("Muddlehead"), Jaccavrie ("Jackie"), the ship in Kim Stanley Robinson's Aurora, or even Siri or Alexa.
Here's a thought: what kind of people (except maybe some monastic types) could stand to be locked up for 5 years with 49 other people, knowing you CAN NEVER GET AWAY FROM THEM? I certainly couldn't. What about you? P A's always talking about "elbow room"- this seems almost the exact opposite.
Keith
Keith,
What does "IMSM" mean?
I don't think the ship gets called "Lenny" or "Elsie."
The ship does not have conscious AI.
They are not exactly "locked up." There are spacious recreation areas and they can look out into space. I would be able to take it for 5 years because I would be interested in (i) my work; (ii) other pursuits and research; (iii) opportunities for meditation and reflection; (iv) interactions with some of the 49.
Paul.
"If Memory Serves Me"?
Thanks, Paul" Yes, IMSM: "If Memory Serves Me".
I agree: the protagonists don't seem the type to create nicknames- they're "serious people on a grand mission."
No conscious (or probably other) AI: check. (They should have one, though....)
While they are not confined to their quarters/brig, they are most definitely "locked up" in a very large tin can (and more isolated than anyone has ever been before) for a very long period of time. Consider it a very nice minimum-security prison where you can do all sorts of things to keep yourself amused (constructively and probably non-constructively) with 49 other inmates for a 5 year sentence from which there is no chance of early release, escape, or real-time communication with other people. Remember the saying "Hell is other people?" Didn't some of the crew of the Chronos go bonkers on an 8-year trip in "The Saturn Game"? I'm glad you could take it; I'd prefer hibernation.
Cheers,
Keith
Kaor, Keith!
I think you are missing an important point, and one that would help to unify the crew of the "Leonora Cristine. These people had a GOAL, one they believed in and was important to them: to explore and possibly begin colonization of another world. Having common goals, hopes, aspirations, etc., would help a lot to keep these 50 persons from killing each other!
Sean
Kaor, Paul!
I forgot to answer your question about self driving cars. Yes, I would be determined to feel safe using a self driving car, even if I had to train myself to trust it. It would be the drivers of OTHER cars I would be more concerned about!
Sean
Thank you, Sean.
This talks about being on a sub for a long time:
http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/humanfactor.php
This was Keith
Thanks, Keith.
Sean, an acquaintance suggested that either the entire road system should be automatic or we should stay as we are. Automatic cars talking to each other would be safe but how would they interact with unpredictable human drivers?
Paul.
Kaor, Keith and Paul!
Keith, but the journey taken by the "Leonora Christine" was far more important and EXISTENTIAL to its crew than a long submarine journey on Earth could ever be.
Paul: the fact that humans are so chaotic, unpredictable, and DANGEROUS may very well be what kills off self driving cars. Unless it becomes mandatory for all cars to be self driving (with exceptions for the police, rescue services, and the military).
Maybe I'm just bored with such old fangled 19th century technology as our horseless carriages. I'm still pining for our flying cars!
Sean
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