@RUTGERS.ARPA:dearborn%hyster.DEC@decwrl.ARPA (04/10/85)
From: dearborn%hyster.DEC@decwrl.ARPA (Randy Dearborn, Principal Graphic Designer, DTN 264-5090) > He could have selected an orbit that put him on the > opposite side of the sun from earth, still shielded from them > but allowing the sunlight to keep the dome contents alive. He > doesn't. The government did studies several years ago, called PROJECT CLARION to investigate the possibility of a planet hiding on the other side of the sun. They quickly discovered that if one was there, it would become visible within only a few years time. The gravitational pull from the other planets would have enough effect to keep both our orbits slightly different. If each planet had a duplicate, this would not be the case. (This also punches a hole in the plot of JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN.) Also, it would be difficult to "hide" behind the sun when there are space freighters zooming all over the solar system. > Also, there wasn't any reason for Earth to order them > destroyed. They could have called back the crew, and Dern could > have chosen to stay as a hermit or whatever, and the ships > could have orbited endlessly at no cost to Earth. Yes, the domes could have drifted on without cost. The American Airlines ships they were attached to were designed for cargo transport, a more profitable venture. I'm sure AA wasn't concerned about the 'value' of the crew, only their hefty investment in the freighters and their commercial cargo (and a lot of that was cast into space by Dern as an attempt to bluff the other cargo ships into thinking that his ship was damaged). But alas, the ships eventually were sold by AA to Glen Larson, only to appear as the "Agro Ships" on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. I guess that nothing is sacred. > 2) How do the drones work? > By this, what do you mean? The legless child actors inside? They were legless ADULTS. Randy Dearborn DEC Merrimack, NH