A Fall of Moondust is a science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1961. It was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Novel. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 401 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (685 × 1024 pixels, file size: 160 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is of a book cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned either by the artist who created the cover or the... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE (born 16 December 1917) is a British science-fiction author and inventor, most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, and for collaborating with director Stanley Kubrick on the film of the same... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... This article is about the literary concept. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... The Orion Publishing Group Ltd. ... Hardcover books A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with cloth, heavy paper, or sometimes leather). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... “ISBN” redirects here. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE (born 16 December 1917) is a British science-fiction author and inventor, most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, and for collaborating with director Stanley Kubrick on the film of the same... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works. ...

By the 21st century, the moon has been colonised, and is open to tourists who can afford the trip. Some of them are trapped after a lunar quake. Can they be rescued? This article is about Earths moon. ... “Lunar outpost” redirects here. ... The curvature of Earth seen from orbit provides one of the main attractions for tourists paying to go into space Space tourism is the recent phenomenon of individuals paying for space travel, primarily for personal satisfaction. ...

Plot summary

By the 21st century, the moon has been colonised, and although still very much a research establishment, it is open to tourists who can afford the trip. One of its attractions is a "cruise" across one of the "Seas" that has filled over eons with very fine dust. The specially designed "boat" skims over the surface of the dust, which is so fine that it almost behaves like water. This article is about Earths moon. ... Look up dust in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

But on one cruise, a problem develops. A Moonquake causes an underground cavern to collapse, upsetting the equilibrium. As the dustcruiser Selene passes over, it sinks approx. 15 metres below the surface of the dust.

Their air supply is limited, there is no way for heat generated to escape, no communications are possible and no one quite sure where they are. The major problem for Captain Pat Harris and stewardess Sue Wilkins is to keep the passengers occupied and psychologically stable whilst waiting to be rescued. Fortunately, the passengers include several experienced scientists, and also a retired space ship captain and explorer, Commodore Hansteen.

Chief Engineer (Earthside) Robert Lawrence is sceptical that a rescue can be mounted, even if the 'Selene' can be located. He is ready to abandon an initially unsuccessful search, when he is contacted by Thomas Lawson, a brilliant but eccentric astronomer who, from his vantage point on a satellite high above the Moon, believes he has detected the remains of a heat trail on the surface. An expedition is organised and Lawrence indeed makes contact with Selene several metres below the dust surface. An astronomer or astrophysicist is a person whose area of interest is astronomy or astrophysics. ... For other uses, see Satellite (disambiguation). ...

He now plans and sends out a rescue expedition. As the passengers wait and start to run out of air, the rescuers sink a metal tube to the 'Selene' and cut a hole in the roof. With only seconds to go before Selene's LOX finally explodes, the passengers are able to climb out into the waiting rescue craft. Lox can stand for any of several things: Lox (salmon) - a type of salmon produce LOx (oxidizer) - liquid oxygen used as oxidizer in aerospace The Lox - was a Yonkers, NY-based rap trio This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ...

A short sequel sees Lawrence writing his memoirs, Pat and Sue married and Pat hoping to transfer to the space service.

Translations

• Russian: "Лунная пыль" ("Moondust"), first edition 1965.

Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ...

Trivia

A Fall of Moondust was the first science fiction novel selected to become a Readers Digest Condensed Books Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... The cover of the May 2004 issue of Readers Digest. ...

A BBC Radio drama of the story was produced in 1981 - It features David Buck as Captain Pat Harris and Barry Foster as Chief Engineer Lawrence.

See also

• Space tourism

The curvature of Earth seen from orbit provides one of the main attractions for tourists paying to go into space Space tourism is the recent phenomenon of individuals paying for space travel, primarily for personal satisfaction. ...

External links

• A somewhat compact review at Arthur Clarke Fansite