In Another Land

My other news is that I'm finding myself drawn to explore the planet Mars.



Ever since Mars One's co-founder Bas Lansdorp, M.Sc, went public with his plan to send colonists on a one-way trip to the Red Planet, I've been ever more fascinated with the whole project. A decade or more ago I read Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy. It felt like I was really there, half the time. Great stories, but Kim sends 100 colonists all at once. Mars One plans to send them about 4 at a time.

So my next writing project, after publishing Called To Battle, will be a novel about colonising Mars. The more I look into it, the more detail I find. There's a whole new world to learn about. This will be a story for adults, so the science needs to be well-researched and believable.

Wish me bon voyage. I may be gone some time.

Meet the Man From The Moon

Imagine meeting a lunar astronaut. What would you ask him? Science fiction author and astrophysicist Gregory Benford met Buzz Aldrin in the 1980s.

I read this and felt the historic weight of frustration that Apollo astronauts, among many others, have felt since the moon landings.

Gregory Benford's writing, by the way, is top-notch science fiction. He knows the science and he writes good fiction.

Zac Manchester Blasts Off!

Here's a guy who had a great idea and wouldn't give up until he had got the thing working. Zac is a graduate student at Cornell University in New York. His vision: Design and fly a spacecraft that anyone can afford.

Intrigued? Disbelieving? Have a look. It's called KickSat.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zacinaction/kicksat-your-personal-spacecraft-in-space/posts

With thanks to the BBC News for the pic

The BBC News page where I saw KickSat first is here.

For my blog posting about other home-made space projects and commercial space, see this link. And this one.

Called To Battle: Draft Version

It's not far off now!

For news of the sequel to The Calling, my SF novel for mid-grade children to young adults, follow this link.

The Man Who Works On Mars

Seriously! This man's job involves driving cars on the surface of the planet Mars. He was born in Italy, his father was a school teacher who loved carpentry. Take a look! He says the reasons that most of the other drivers have left the job is that:
1) Google pays more
2) Driving cars on Mars can get boring!

Here's some advice from this driver, Paolo Bellutta :
"What advice would you give to someone who wants to take the same career path as you?
You never know what can help you, so learn everything you can! I often used knowledge I gathered while pursuing my hobbies, or talking to friends or reading non-work-related books."