Red Star, Winter Orbit: Tech

The technology in William Gibson and Bruce Sterling’s collaborative short story “Red Star, Winter Orbit” brings meaning to the lives of some though to others it is mundane and unimportant. The three countries whose space programs are mentioned in this story have reached different views of technology. The Japanese have chosen the cheapest most efficient way of sending robots to space to mine resources, Russia seeing this as more effective is scrapping their long term manned space stations in favor of looking after their assets on earth, and the Americans have taken too living in solar power balloons and launching their ships from free-fall from these balloons.

Gibson and Sterling’s story is an overall hopeful view of the future from some stand points. This short story does not go into great detail as to how society and Earth in general is doing. It does however show the state of the space programs as well as how the governments and their respective Public sentiments are fairing.

This is a future in which the USSR was not dissolved but had taken control of the worlds oil supply and became the most powerful country on earth. As seen in USA in light of the Oil crisis only some choose to accept exists, it is the reaction of most Americans to pull back and focus on maintaining our way of life. To do this many push for local drilling but that can only do so much and not many companies are willing in this endeavor as it has little room for profit.

The solution many are seeing as a necessity now is the need for other sources of power. In this tale the Americans have done just that, they have placed their faith in solar power, by using giant reflective balloons. Many in this future live in these balloons dreaming of one day going higher. The Russians on the other hand have already been higher but have stagnated and don’t care anymore.

Cable is the prevailing remnant of the cyber world. It is not made clear if this is cable TV or internet, but at the time it was written one could assume TV. By intercepting American satellites the Russian space station manages to collect a decent amount of pornographic entertainment through apparently illegal means. This seems to be the primary means of occupying the free time of the crew.