Where did Heinlein say “Once you get to Earth orbit, you're halfway to anywhere in the Solar System”?












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I know what it means. I've seen delta-V charts. But I don't know if Robert Heinlein wrote this down, or simply said it off-the-cuff to somebody.



Variations include:




  • "Reach low orbit, and your halfway ..." (See Space Access Society logo http://space-access.org)


  • "Make orbit, and you're halfway ..."



If we want to attribute this to him, a citable source would be handy.






low-earth-orbit history space-art







share|improve this question











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  • $begingroup$
    This might possibly be on-topic here (not sure), but there is also Science Fiction SE and you are probably going to get faster, better, and more answers there than here. Consider asking there instead?
    $endgroup$
    – uhoh
    4 hours ago


















1












$begingroup$


I know what it means. I've seen delta-V charts. But I don't know if Robert Heinlein wrote this down, or simply said it off-the-cuff to somebody.



Variations include:




  • "Reach low orbit, and your halfway ..." (See Space Access Society logo http://space-access.org)


  • "Make orbit, and you're halfway ..."



If we want to attribute this to him, a citable source would be handy.






low-earth-orbit history space-art







share|improve this question











$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    This might possibly be on-topic here (not sure), but there is also Science Fiction SE and you are probably going to get faster, better, and more answers there than here. Consider asking there instead?
    $endgroup$
    – uhoh
    4 hours ago
















1












1








1





$begingroup$


I know what it means. I've seen delta-V charts. But I don't know if Robert Heinlein wrote this down, or simply said it off-the-cuff to somebody.



Variations include:




  • "Reach low orbit, and your halfway ..." (See Space Access Society logo http://space-access.org)


  • "Make orbit, and you're halfway ..."



If we want to attribute this to him, a citable source would be handy.






low-earth-orbit history space-art







share|improve this question











$endgroup$




I know what it means. I've seen delta-V charts. But I don't know if Robert Heinlein wrote this down, or simply said it off-the-cuff to somebody.



Variations include:




  • "Reach low orbit, and your halfway ..." (See Space Access Society logo http://space-access.org)


  • "Make orbit, and you're halfway ..."



If we want to attribute this to him, a citable source would be handy.






low-earth-orbit history space-art




low-earth-orbit history space-art






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




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edited 4 hours ago









uhoh

39.2k18144498




39.2k18144498










asked 4 hours ago









Rick 0xfffRick 0xfff

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54349












  • $begingroup$
    This might possibly be on-topic here (not sure), but there is also Science Fiction SE and you are probably going to get faster, better, and more answers there than here. Consider asking there instead?
    $endgroup$
    – uhoh
    4 hours ago




















  • $begingroup$
    This might possibly be on-topic here (not sure), but there is also Science Fiction SE and you are probably going to get faster, better, and more answers there than here. Consider asking there instead?
    $endgroup$
    – uhoh
    4 hours ago


















$begingroup$
This might possibly be on-topic here (not sure), but there is also Science Fiction SE and you are probably going to get faster, better, and more answers there than here. Consider asking there instead?
$endgroup$
– uhoh
4 hours ago






$begingroup$
This might possibly be on-topic here (not sure), but there is also Science Fiction SE and you are probably going to get faster, better, and more answers there than here. Consider asking there instead?
$endgroup$
– uhoh
4 hours ago












1 Answer
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$begingroup$

As I understand it was quoted by Jerry Pournelle in his column "Halfway to anywhere" first published in the Galaxy Magazine from April 1974 Issue. Than this article was collected with others into his book "A step farther out". Here's a quote,




One of my rivals in the science-writing field usually begins his columns with a personal anecdote. Although I avoid slavish imitation, success is always worth copying. Anyway, the idea behind this column came from Robert Heinlein, and he ought to get credit for it.
Mr. Heinlein and I were discussing the perils of template stories: interconnected stories that together present a future history. As readers may have suspected, many future histories begin with stories that weren't necessarily intended to fit together when they were written. Robert Heinlein's box came with "The Man Who Sold the Moon." He wanted the first flight to the Moon to use a direct Earth-to-Moon craft, not one assembled in orbit; but the story had to follow "Blowups Happen" in the future history.
Unfortunately, in "Blowups Happen" a capability for orbiting large payloads had been developed. "Aha," I said. "I see your problem. If you can get a ship into orbit, you're halfway to the Moon."
"No," Bob said. "If you can get your ship into orbit, you're halfway to anywhere."
He was very nearly right.







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    $begingroup$

    As I understand it was quoted by Jerry Pournelle in his column "Halfway to anywhere" first published in the Galaxy Magazine from April 1974 Issue. Than this article was collected with others into his book "A step farther out". Here's a quote,




    One of my rivals in the science-writing field usually begins his columns with a personal anecdote. Although I avoid slavish imitation, success is always worth copying. Anyway, the idea behind this column came from Robert Heinlein, and he ought to get credit for it.
    Mr. Heinlein and I were discussing the perils of template stories: interconnected stories that together present a future history. As readers may have suspected, many future histories begin with stories that weren't necessarily intended to fit together when they were written. Robert Heinlein's box came with "The Man Who Sold the Moon." He wanted the first flight to the Moon to use a direct Earth-to-Moon craft, not one assembled in orbit; but the story had to follow "Blowups Happen" in the future history.
    Unfortunately, in "Blowups Happen" a capability for orbiting large payloads had been developed. "Aha," I said. "I see your problem. If you can get a ship into orbit, you're halfway to the Moon."
    "No," Bob said. "If you can get your ship into orbit, you're halfway to anywhere."
    He was very nearly right.







    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$


















      2












      $begingroup$

      As I understand it was quoted by Jerry Pournelle in his column "Halfway to anywhere" first published in the Galaxy Magazine from April 1974 Issue. Than this article was collected with others into his book "A step farther out". Here's a quote,




      One of my rivals in the science-writing field usually begins his columns with a personal anecdote. Although I avoid slavish imitation, success is always worth copying. Anyway, the idea behind this column came from Robert Heinlein, and he ought to get credit for it.
      Mr. Heinlein and I were discussing the perils of template stories: interconnected stories that together present a future history. As readers may have suspected, many future histories begin with stories that weren't necessarily intended to fit together when they were written. Robert Heinlein's box came with "The Man Who Sold the Moon." He wanted the first flight to the Moon to use a direct Earth-to-Moon craft, not one assembled in orbit; but the story had to follow "Blowups Happen" in the future history.
      Unfortunately, in "Blowups Happen" a capability for orbiting large payloads had been developed. "Aha," I said. "I see your problem. If you can get a ship into orbit, you're halfway to the Moon."
      "No," Bob said. "If you can get your ship into orbit, you're halfway to anywhere."
      He was very nearly right.







      share|improve this answer









      $endgroup$
















        2












        2








        2





        $begingroup$

        As I understand it was quoted by Jerry Pournelle in his column "Halfway to anywhere" first published in the Galaxy Magazine from April 1974 Issue. Than this article was collected with others into his book "A step farther out". Here's a quote,




        One of my rivals in the science-writing field usually begins his columns with a personal anecdote. Although I avoid slavish imitation, success is always worth copying. Anyway, the idea behind this column came from Robert Heinlein, and he ought to get credit for it.
        Mr. Heinlein and I were discussing the perils of template stories: interconnected stories that together present a future history. As readers may have suspected, many future histories begin with stories that weren't necessarily intended to fit together when they were written. Robert Heinlein's box came with "The Man Who Sold the Moon." He wanted the first flight to the Moon to use a direct Earth-to-Moon craft, not one assembled in orbit; but the story had to follow "Blowups Happen" in the future history.
        Unfortunately, in "Blowups Happen" a capability for orbiting large payloads had been developed. "Aha," I said. "I see your problem. If you can get a ship into orbit, you're halfway to the Moon."
        "No," Bob said. "If you can get your ship into orbit, you're halfway to anywhere."
        He was very nearly right.







        share|improve this answer









        $endgroup$



        As I understand it was quoted by Jerry Pournelle in his column "Halfway to anywhere" first published in the Galaxy Magazine from April 1974 Issue. Than this article was collected with others into his book "A step farther out". Here's a quote,




        One of my rivals in the science-writing field usually begins his columns with a personal anecdote. Although I avoid slavish imitation, success is always worth copying. Anyway, the idea behind this column came from Robert Heinlein, and he ought to get credit for it.
        Mr. Heinlein and I were discussing the perils of template stories: interconnected stories that together present a future history. As readers may have suspected, many future histories begin with stories that weren't necessarily intended to fit together when they were written. Robert Heinlein's box came with "The Man Who Sold the Moon." He wanted the first flight to the Moon to use a direct Earth-to-Moon craft, not one assembled in orbit; but the story had to follow "Blowups Happen" in the future history.
        Unfortunately, in "Blowups Happen" a capability for orbiting large payloads had been developed. "Aha," I said. "I see your problem. If you can get a ship into orbit, you're halfway to the Moon."
        "No," Bob said. "If you can get your ship into orbit, you're halfway to anywhere."
        He was very nearly right.








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        answered 3 hours ago









        OONOON

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