I have often written about the inspirational nature of science fiction and its effect on the real world. My forthcoming web serial, Hindsight Station: Ashes Reborn, involves many science-based inspirations. They include the battle for high-orbit dominance, some two hundred plus years into the future. Does our real world pay attention to our high-orbit or do we only search further ahead?
High-orbit gets a mixed reception in importance, which may reflect on who is behind the telescope. The universe as we know it reveals secrets, both near and far, to those who seek them out. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) on September 2nd of this year, published a research study about a high-orbit asteroid known as Arjuna, PN7.
High-Orbit Secrets Revealed
It was a French journalist, Adrian Coffinet, who introduced us to PN7 on August 30th of this year. His assessment of the discovery as being a quasi-moon (aka. Asteroid) is based on its orbital trajectory around the Sun, rather than the Earth. The celestial object, estimated at sixty-two feet wide, is our travelling partner for approximately the next sixty years.
It took high-definition imagery to identify the faint signature of PN7, which is heralded as the reason it remained hidden for so long. It goes to show–we seek knowledge over light years, and yet our own high-orbit can still surprise us.
Web Serial and High-Orbit
The post-apocalyptic start to Hindsight Station has scarcity and conflict driving the journey of both the heroes and the villains. For both sides, high-orbit features in the drive for dominance in space as a strategic advantage. For James Fong, it also features in his vision of traveling to the stars in an expansionary epoch for humanity.Â
From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows, available at your favorite digital bookstoreÂ
However, his reality sees the absolute destruction of all he holds dear if he does not face down the threat from powerful enemies. The clash of titans, like in the real world, is down to foresight, planning, and intent. The battle continues as James seeks to use the high-orbit of our planet to gain the high-ground.
SciFi Meets Cosmology
Like all storytelling, Hindsight Station is not just about the technology. It is about the human condition, and intending to do good or ill in pursuing one’s goals. Our real world tells us that the universe has a bounty of secrets to share with us. Who knows what PN7 holds in terms of useful minerals and compounds? Would mining PN7 bring humanity forward or endanger us all?
The answer lies in intent, our vision for our future, and also how fast we can travel along its path. Curiosity is the one thing we can never lose. If we do, then we allow our lives and the universe to pass us by.
What future clues will the universe give us that may influence our direction as a society? Will we spot another PN7 in the future that brings us a gift basket from the universe? I certainly hope so, as we live in a vast universe that asks us to accept it for what it is. Our vision of our own future will determine our eventual embrace or dismissal of what it offers us.
About the Author
As I move onto my next authoring project, I will post less frequently on the real-world issues linked to my novel, From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows. My next project, Hindsight Station, will initially be a progression science fiction, web-novel delivered via Patreon and eventually another web serial platform.
John is a versatile author known for his gripping fiction narratives in the thriller, action, and science fiction genres. With a background as a journalist since 2016, and expertise in cloud technologies as an engineer; John brings a unique blend of storytelling prowess and technical acumen to his work.
