A Fall of Moondust

infobox Book
name = A Fall of Moondust
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Dust-jacket from the 1st edition
author = Arthur C. Clarke
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Science fiction novel
publisher = Gollancz
release_date = 1961
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 224 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-575-07317-9 (reprint)
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"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, and was the first science fiction novel selected to become a "Reader's Digest" Condensed Book.

By the 21st century, the Moon has been colonized, and is open to tourists who can afford the trip. Some of them are trapped after a lunar quake. Can they be rescued?

Plot

By the 21st century, the Moon has been colonized, and although still very much a research establishment, it is visited by tourists who can afford the trip. One of its attractions is a "cruise" across one of the "seas" that have filled with dust over the course of eons. A specially designed "boat" skims over the surface of the dust, which is so fine that it almost behaves like water.

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 about 15 meters below the surface of the dust, hiding the vessel from view.

The air supply is limited, there is no way for heat generated to escape, no communications are possible and no one is quite sure where they are. Captain Pat Harris and stewardess Sue Wilkins try 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 skeptical 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 organized and Lawrence indeed makes contact with the "Selene". The rescuers sink a metal tube to the "Selene" and cut a hole in the roof. With only seconds to go before "Selene"'s liquid oxygen supply explodes, the passengers climb out into the waiting rescue craft.

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

Adaptation

A BBC Radio drama of the story was produced in 1981. It features David Buck as Captain Pat Harrisand Barry Foster as Chief Engineer Lawrence. In 2008, the production was released on BBC Compact Disc (ISBN 978 1405 688048).

Translations

* Russian: " _ru. "Лунная пыль"" ("Moondust"), first edition 1965.
* Serbian: " _sr. "Pad Mesečeve prašine"" ("A Fall of Moondust"), 1990.
* Turkish: " _tr. "Susuz Deniz"" ("Waterless Sea"), first edition 1984.
* Finnish: " _fi. "Selene I"", first edition 1976.

References

*cite book | last=Tuck | first=Donald H. | authorlink=Donald H. Tuck | title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy | location=Chicago | publisher=Advent | pages=101 | date=1974|id=ISBN 0-911682-20-1

See also

* Space tourism