| The Martian Way | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Author | Isaac Asimov |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Published in | Galaxy Science Fiction |
| Publication type | Periodical |
| Publisher | Galaxy Publishing |
| Media type | Print (Magazine, Hardback & Paperback) |
| Publication date | November 1952 |
The Martian Way is a science fiction novella by American writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the November 1952 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction and reprinted in the collections The Martian Way and Other Stories (1955), The Best of Isaac Asimov (1973), and Robot Dreams (1986). It was also included in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two (1973) after being voted one of the best novellas up to 1965.
There were originally no female characters in "The Martian Way", but Galaxy editor H. L. Gold insisted that one be included. Asimov complied by giving Richard Swenson a shrewish wife. It was not what Gold had in mind, but he accepted the story anyway.
When Asimov wrote "The Martian Way" in 1952, it was thought that the fragments making up Saturn's rings might be over a mile in diameter. It is now known that none of the ring fragments is more than a few meters in diameter.[1]
The final journey back to Mars is described to be under constant acceleration (except for brief shutdowns for rest) which took five weeks, with the acceleration being well above the comfortable threshold for human beings. However, even with the maximum distance possible between Mars and Saturn, the constant acceleration and deceleration required to make such a journey in five weeks would have been below 1 m/s2.
- ^ Spinrad, Hyron (2004). "Saturn". World Book Online Reference Center. NASA. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2010.