"Not-So-Easy Rider," Episode 104 of Journey Into Space
5Kerbal Space Program is Copyright Squad
https://kerbalspaceprogram.com/
Music by Kevin MacLeod: Space Fighter Loop and Junkyard Tribe
http://incompetech.com/
In this episode, we experiment with some vehicles back on Kerbin. First up is something I always wanted to do in KSP, a motorcycle. Probably until 0.22 comes out I will mostly be playing on Kerbin, of which there is plenty of play to do. :)
Eagerly awaiting 0.22
http://youtu.be/Hvkplva3Hcw
At some point, probably when we stopped going to the Moon, hard science fiction sort of petered out. Hard science fiction meaning, everything in the story should be physically possible. Solar system fiction became almost nonexistent. This is rather unfortunate, since this is the sort of science fiction I want to see and read myself.
Since I am not seeing the kind of science fiction I want, I am writing it. ;) My first work of science fiction is out on Amazon, called Jake Barnes, Lunar Freebooter. It is set in a hard science fiction universe, but it's mostly an adventure story. Which of course space exploration is high adventure. It's the story of Jake Barnes, fleeing justice on Earth, who moves to the Moon and tries to figure out how he is going to be making a living in this new world he has fled to.
OBLIGATORY BLURBAGE:
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Jake Barnes. Former second-in-command of the Kron-X organized crime syndicate. A man running from a 400 year prison sentence awaiting him on Earth. And so Jake Barnes hightails it to the Moon, where Terran laws do not apply. The Moon, an irradiated wasteland where the slightest mistakes can be fatal. The Moon, home to eccentric solid rocket tycoon and former über-space-hero Austin Bonner, the only man known to carry nuclear weapons for personal defense. It is a decision that Jake will have frequent opportunities to regret...
Jake Barnes, Lunar Freebooter is a hard (realistic) science fiction novella with a focus on the practical realities of what life on the Moon would actually entail. There is no warp drive, no light sabers, no transporters, just rockets and equipment based on actual present or near-future technology. Technology we know would actually work. Additionally, the realities of resources on the Moon and the realities of living with radiation and vacuum are addressed with as much realism as current science makes possible.
It's not all about science and tech though. First and foremost Jake Barnes, Lunar Freebooter is an adventure, with a good dose of humor thrown in. Readers of Heinlein's "The Rolling Stones" or "Rocket Ship Galileo" might find in this the kind of practical sleeves-rolled-up can-do science fiction they have been missing.
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You can get the book on CreateSpace or Amazon, it is slightly cheaper on Amazon ($4.74 vs. $4.99) but the price difference is taken out of my cut. So if you want to support me in my quest to bring you more hard science fiction, buy at CreateSpace. A kindle version is available, and if you buy the paperback, you get the Kindle version free through MatchBook. I make no warranties as to the quality of the Kindle version though, I spent zero time on formatting the transition from book to Kindle, so I would really recommend getting the dead tree version. I didn't spend time on the Kindle version because I don't care for the lack of control over the user experience that comes with e-books. It's there though if you want it.
Dead Tree Version (RECOMMENDED):
https://www.createspace.com/4449024
http://www.amazon.com/Jake-Barnes-Lunar-Freebooter-Moon/dp/1492766739/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379755235&sr=8-1&keywords=Jake+Barnes%2C+Lunar+Freebooter
Kindle Version (PROLLY KINDA SUCKS):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FC3CZF8
Also if you get a copy, do me a favor and write a review on Amazon! I would appreciate it.
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/205479952917334/
Spoiler warning! Sometimes I post screenies from the episode in progress before I upload the episode.
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A Penny For NASA - message your congressfolk and tell them you want more budget for space exploration!
http://www.penny4nasa.org/
"We Stopped Dreaming" by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
http://youtu.be/CbIZU8cQWXc
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