FULL NOVELXO Chapter Credit Where Credit is Due:
Don’t imagine even for an instant that I could have come up with the idea of vacuum airships for Mars myself.I am a lawyer superannuated out by our local Law Society, with no real engineering chops whatsoever.
All I could do was appreciate the brilliant idea originated by a master engineer for NASA, Andrew Colozza. His very interesting paper was published by NASA in November 2004.
I have the advantage of an imaginary world to insert his idea into. He is living in the real world and he will need to wait for history to catch up with him. All the clunky ideas of how to propel the ships are mine. I can’t blame anyone else for that. His idea for free-flying ships was much more elegant andlikely much cheaper than my defect-attracting electric tugging.
I know they’ve suggested various kinds of jets, but I couldn’t figure a reliable and inherently safe method to movethem with their delicate people along Mars’ surface other than to pull them.
I did get an advantage from my lack of expertise in being able to dream up complications. They might never be an issue. I don’t care. I will be long dead when we get to Mars, and I won’t need to answer for anything.