Two Generation Ships

 

In 20th century sf, the future of the 21st century included mobile phones and aircars (also here). I expected cars in sf novels to fly and was surprised when one in a later novel stayed on the road.

Although Robert Heinlein's Orphans of the Sky is set mostly inside a single "generation ship" (slower than light, multi-generation, interstellar spaceship), its narrator makes some reference to young people on Earth being able to drive flying cars. I might have to reread this whole short volume to find this particular reference but I decided that, after all this time, it was a good idea to reread Orphans..., in any case. It is the precursor of Poul Anderson's "The Troublemakers." Orphans... is part of Heinlein's Future History just as "The Troublemakers" is part of Anderson's Psychotechnic History which was directly modelled on the Future History.

"The Troublemakers" begins with a quotation from Starward! by Enrico Yamatsu. Orphans of the Sky, PART ONE, UNIVERSE, begins with a quotation from:

"The Romance of Modern Astrography by Franklin Buck, published by Lux Transcriptions Ltd., 3.50cr."

-Robert Heinlein, Orphans of the Sky (London, 1965), p. 7.

Buck informs us that the Proxima Centauri Expedition was sponsored by the Jordan Foundation in 2119 whereas Yamatsu informs us that the Pioneer was launched in 2126. Thus, we read two closely parallel future history series.