Space Ships in Science Fiction

We’ve been watching some of those old Twilight Zone classics and have been amused by some of the ways in which space travel was envisioned back in the early 60′s. There seems to have been an assumption that we would be traveling around in flying saucers. This was likely brought on by the fascination with flying saucers around that time and in the 1950′s classics (e.g. “The Day the Earth Stood Still“).

The funny thing about this is that a flying saucer isn’t a very good configuration for a space craft. The shape might look good for aerodynamics, but doesn’t make much sense in the vacuum of space. Most actual spacecraft for interplanetary travel have been anything but aerodynamic (check out the LEM from the Apollo program).

For a really long flight it would be advantageous to have even bulkier and less-aerodynamic configurations – to use space effectively and to help block radiation. Also something shaped like a wheel or barbell could be used to simulate gravity by rotation. It’s just highly unlikely that a saucer would be anyone’s final design. NASA Artist Concept of a Mars Vehicle

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3 thoughts on “Space Ships in Science Fiction”

James
November 6, 2004 at 8:01 am

There seems to be some evidence that the concept of flying saucers was around at the time of WWII and some experimental work went into them. Evidently there were a couple of Germans experimenting with the idea, Flying Saucers and the Third Reich, as well as some experiments in the US, US Flying Saucers. One of the main things that is attractive about the design is the “stealth” technology. Now that “fly by wire” is possible, a jet-powered flying saucer could probably be made.

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john
November 8, 2004 at 3:31 pm

Another ridiculous aspect of the UFO phenom is that of lights on alien ships. Aliens traveling across the galaxy would not need lights on the exterior of their ships. Furthermore, if they were indeed capable of traveling intergalactic distances, they would probably be able to practice stealth technology to the degree that they could be standing/floating/sitting/???? right next to you, and you wouldn’t even know it. So this idea that they can travel this mind-boggling distance and then have to turn on their lights while loping around on the dark side of the Earth is pretty silly.

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James
November 8, 2004 at 3:57 pm

That is funny, evidently they only turn on all these lights and make funny noises around farm houses or other rural areas (after escaping detection by SETI and NORAD). Check out “The Invaders” from the Twilight Zone for an interesting example of that with a twist at the end.

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