Unknown Orbits

0008: QRM Interplanetary

QRM Interplanetary by George O. Smith was his first story in the Venus Equilateral series, which was published in Astounding Science Fiction from 1942 to 1945. Venus Equilateral is a space station at one of the Venus-Sun Lagrange points, making it perfect for maintaining interplanetary communication. 

0007: The Little Black Bag

What would you do if you found a bag filled with near-magical tools that could cure any ailment? We discuss Cyril M. Kornbluth's Little Black Bag and its many television adaptations.

0006: Allamagoosa

What's up, dog? Erik Frank Russell's Allamagoosa is fun service-comedy-in-space, but it's not without controversy. We also discuss the type of story where protagonists attempt to fix a small problem, but instead turn it into a bigger one.

0005: Runaway Robot

Is there any plot more universal than the companionship between a boy and his robot? This episode we discuss Lester del Rey's Runaway Robot, and the value of Scholastic Books in the pre-internet age.

0004: Who Goes There?

John W. Campbell's Who Goes There appeared in the August 1938 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. It is generally considered to be one of the most influential stories from the 1930s, and an early example of Science Fiction Horror.

0002: A Martian Odyssey

Today we discuss A Martian Odyssey by Stanley G. Weinbaum. First published in 1934, it was a memorable and groundbreaking story about an explorer who crashed on Mars and forced to walk across the planet to get back to his expedition.

0001: Who We Are and What We Cover

Welcome to Unknown Orbits, where two writers discuss everything Science Fiction, from Gernsback to Roddenberry. In this introductory episode we introduce ourselves and discuss why we chose to focus on the years 1926 to 1966, as well as touching on what first brought each of us to science fiction.