History Literature / Voyage

* MeaningfulName: While it is based mostly on modified Apollo programme hardware and its derivatives, the spacecraft to Mars is christened "Ares" - [[ReligiousAndMythologicalThemeNaming after the Greek god of war]] [[ClassicalMythology that the Roman one was based on]]. In a minor instance of NamesTheSame, the name "Ares" [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ares_%28rocket%29 has been pretty popular for various proposed rockets and spacecraft from our history]].

Voyage is a 1996 AlternateHistory novel by British science fiction writer StephenBaxter. It is set in a timeline with [[ForWantOfANail a simple divergence from our history]] : Lee Harvey Oswald didn't manage to assasinate US president John F. Kennedy and, by accident, shot his wife instead.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Occurs both in a negative and ''positive'' sence. The main positive example would be [[{{Determinator}} Kennedy's congratulatory speech to the Apollo 11 astronauts]]. He deliberately peppers it with openly provocative hints of "We need to follow this up with a flight to Mars ASAP !". He does it partly to help promote the importance of continuing US manned spaceflight past the end of the Apollo programme and partly because he wants to {{troll}} president Nixon in a FriendlyRivalry kind of way...

* XMeetsY: ''Series/FromTheEarthToTheMoon'' meets ''CapricornOne'' [-[[RecycledInSpace BUT IN BOOK FORM, WITHOUT THE CONSPIRACY IN THE SECOND WORK AND SET IN AN ALTERNATE TIMELINE]]-]!

** Natalie York -> [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Ride Sally Ride]] (though, like with the previous two characters, there are numerous differences in terms of personality and opinions and York is the most loosely related to her real world counterpart)

* AwesomeYetPractical: The ''Ares'' mission in general, particularly when you consider it was cobbled together after the original, technologically far more grandiose Mars mission, failed spectacularly. It is also a kind of subversion, since the ''Ares'' comes across as BoringButPractical at face value.

* ShownTheirWork: Baxter really did try to do his premise justice and it shows. The technology used for the flight to Mars is, for the most part, based directly on cancelled 60s and 70s projects that were well in the range of economic and technological plausibility. The only parts of the ''Ares'' spacecraft that are largely fictional and based on conjecture are the habitation module and ''Challenger'' landing module. And even then, [[AllohistoricalAllusion it is hinted at]] that the habitation module was designed in a manner similar to the ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab Skylab]]'' space station's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab#Habitability living quarters]] from our timeline.

* AcePilot: Ralph Gershon is a ground attack ace who served in [[TheVietnamWar Vietnam]]. Phil Stone is a subversion, since he's a retired [[TheKoreanWar Korean War]] ace that moved on to being a test pilot of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_X-15 X-15]] suborbital spaceplane in the 50s and 60s.

* TheRedPlanet: The main goal of NASA in the novel's timeline is a manned mision to Mars, complete with landing, three weeks of surface exploration and a succesful return trip to Earth. [[spoiler:There is a lot of tension on whether the goal will be achieved, but in the end, the crew lands, carries out their mission and it's implied [[DistantFinale they return back to Earth in one piece]].]]

* TheRedPlanet: The main goal of NASA in the novel's timeline is a manned mision to Mars, complete with landing, three weeks of surface exploration and a succesful return trip to Earth. [[spoiler:There is a lot of tension on whether the goal will be achieved, but in the end, the crew returns back to Earth in one piece.]]

* SingleBiomePlanet: Justified in the case of Mars, given how, from an Earthtling's point of view, it's an entirely inhospitable red rocky alien desert planet. Subverted in that, outside of Earth, Mars has some of the most varied surface geography of any planet in the Solar System.
* {{Spinoff}}: Baxter also wrote the short story ''[[http://web.archive.org/web/20050310032846/http://www.cix.co.uk/~sjbradshaw/baxterium/prospero.html Prospero One]]'', which is set in [[TheVerse the same universe]] but focuses on [[WhatCouldHaveBeen alternate developments of the 1960s]] [[HeroOfAnotherStory British]] [[WhatCouldHaveBeen space programme]]. Several {{Shout Out}}s are given to the main novel and there are even more {{Allohistorical Allusion}}s towards the history of spaceflight in our timeline - in this case, the stillborn [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_space_programme#British_space_vehicles_1950-1985 British spaceflight programme]] that seemed promising for a certain amount of time in the 1960s, before its cancellation by Harold Wilson. The name of the eponymous manned spacecraft in the short story is a nod at the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospero_X-3 Prospero X-3 satellite]] launched in our version of the 1960s.

* AllohistoricalAllusion: The author has fun with {{Shout Out}}s to the names of the Space Shuttle from our timeline (which weren't built in this one due to the changed priorities of the US space programme) :

* AllohistoricalAllusion: The Mars landing module, built by the fictional company [[UnderdogsNeverLose Columbia Aviation]], is christened ''Challenger''. The first Mars landing occurs in spring 1986. In our timeline, a major spaceflight accident occured in January 1986, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster concerning a certain space shuttle]]... The name of the Mars lander might also be a reference to the lunar module of Apollo 17, also named ''Challenger''. [[spoiler:Since Apollo 17 is cancelled in the novel's timeline, the name of the module could still remain unused and seem novel to the alternate NASA's staff.]]

* AllohistoricalAllusion: The Mars landing module, built by the fictional company [[UnderdogsNeverLose Columbia Aviation]], is christened ''Challenger''. The first Mars landing occurs in spring 1986. In our timeline, a major spaceflight accident occured in January 1986, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster concerning a certain space shuttle]]... The name of the Mars lander might also be a reference to the lunar module of Apollo 17, also named ''Challenger''. [[spoiler:Since Apollo 17 is cancelled in the novel's timeline, the name might not be novel at all to the alternate NASA's staff.]]

* AllohistoricalAllusion: The Mars landing module, built by the fictional company [[UnderdogsNeverLose Columbia Aviation]], is christened ''Challenger''. The first Mars landing occurs in spring 1986. In our timeline, a major spaceflight accident occured in January 1986, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster concerning a certain space shuttle]]...

* MeaningfulName: While it is based mostly on modified Apollo programme hardware and its derivatives, the spacecraft to Mars is christened "Ares" - after the Greek god of war that the Roman one was based on. In a minor instance of NamesTheSame, the name "Ares" [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ares_%28rocket%29 has been pretty popular for various proposed rockets and spacecraft from our history]].

* XMeetsY: ''Series/FromTheEarthToTheMoon'' meets ''CapricornOne'' [-[[RecycledInSpace BUT IN BOOK FORM, WITHOUT THE CONSPIRACY IN THE SECOND WORK AND IN AN ALTERNATE TIMELINE]]-]!

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: [[ZigZaggingTrope Mostly averted, but also played straight in a few instances]] - particularly with replacing Buzz Aldrin with a certain Joe Muldoon.

* XMeetsY: ''FromTheEarthToTheMoon'' meets ''CapricornOne'' [-[[RecycledInSpace BUT IN BOOK FORM, WITHOUT THE CONSPIRACY IN THE SECOND WORK AND IN AN ALTERNATE TIMELINE]]-]!

* XMeetsY: ''FromTheEarthToTheMoon'' meets ''CapricornOne'' [-BUT IN BOOK FORM AND WITHOUT THE CONSPIRACY IN THE SECOND WORK-]!

* XMeetsY: ''FromTheEarthToTheMoon'' [-IN BOOK FORM AND ABOUT SPACEFLIGHT TO MARS-]!

* AudienceSurrogate: Natalie York, who's also the closest thing to a main protagonist in the novel. She's not a professional astronaut, just the mission's geologist. She's the only civilian in the three member crew of the ''Ares''. In the chapters showing her student years and early fascination with planetary geology, she often plays the role of a DeadpanSnarker that it critical of overambitious and risky spacecraft projects, such as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA NERVA]].

* WishFulfillment: ''Subverted massively'', since Baxter [[GenreSavvy was well aware]] of the limitations of supporting a large-scale space programme, even in an alternate timeline. His ultimate point seems to be : "If you want to go to Mars in the 70s or 80s, fine. But you'll have to make some harsh sacrifices." Yes, the Apollo programme hardware is further expanded upon and is eventually used for a manned flight to Mars. Yes, research into NERVA rockets gets further than in our history due to increased funding. ''But'', on the downside : The Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions are cancelled, the Space Shuttle project is completely stillborn, and worst of all, most of the useful planetary space probes from our history were cancelled in this timeline. The American space station projects are expanded though. This is all done so the manned flight to Mars can profit from a larger budget and more astronauts experienced in above-orbit spaceflights. The lack of sufficient space probe exploration in ''Voyage'''s timeline (no ''Mariner 10'', ''Pioneer'', ''Voyager'', ''Viking'' probes) eventually leads to an unfortunate consequence : Astronomers, common people and even the crew of the Mars mission know far less detailed information about the planets of the Solar System than people in our timeline knew during the same historical period. ''This includes Mars'', due to the cancellation of the ''Viking'' missions. BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor ''[[TakeThatAudience indeed]]'' !

The alternate 1960s pass mostly in a vein similar to our own history, but subtle little divergences keep popping up. The final, major divergence of the timeline occurs after the first Moon landing in 1969. The now-retired president Kennedy is allowed a few moments of radio contact, in order to do a little congratulatory speech to the Apollo 11 crew. To everyone's surprise, Kennedy very blatantly hints at the need to focus on making a similar landing on Mars in the coming decade. This eventually forces NASA to cave in to popular pressure from people that were moved by Kennedy's speech. In about two years after the frist Moon landing, the history of American astronautics starts taking a rather different route than the one we know...

* ExecutiveMeddling: Occurs both in a negative and ''positive'' sence. The main positive example would be [[{{Determinator}} Kennedy's congratulatory speech to the Apollo 11 astronauts]]. He deliberately peppers it with openly provocative hints of "We need to follow this up with a flight to Mars ASAP !". He does partly to help promote the importance of continuing US manned spaceflight past the end of the Apollo programme and partly because he wants to {{troll}} president Nixon in a FriendlyRivalry kind of way...

* WhatIf: What if NASA had pulled off a manned mission to Mars already in the mid 1980s ? And "1960s-1980s astronautics what ifs" in general...

* WishFulfillment: ''Subverted massively'', since Baxter [[GenreSavvy was well aware]] of the limitations of supporting a large-scale space programme, even in an alternate timeline. His ultimate point seems to be : "If you want to go to Mars in the 70s or 80s, fine. But you'll have to make some harsh sacrifices." Yes, the Apollo programme hardware is further expanded upon and is eventually used for a manned flight to Mars. Yes, research into NERVA rockets gets further than in our history due to increased funding. ''But'', on the downside : The Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions are cancelled, the Space Shuttle project is completely stillborn, and worst of all, most of the useful planetary space probes from our history were cancelled in this timeline. This is all done so the manned flight to Mars can have a larger and better budget. The lack of sufficient space probe exploration in ''Voyage'''s timeline (no ''Mariner 10'', ''Pioneer'', ''Voyager'', ''Viking'' probes) eventually leads to an unfortunate consequence : Astronomers, common people and even the crew of the Mars mission know far less detailed information about the planets of the Solar System than people in our timeline knew during the same historical period. ''This includes Mars'', due to the cancellation of the ''Viking'' missions. BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor ''[[TakeThatAudience indeed]]'' !

* ExecutiveMeddling: Occurs both in a negative and ''positive'' sence. The main positive example would be Kennedy's congratulatory speech to the Apollo 11 astronauts. He deliberately peppers it with openly provocative hints of "We need to follow this up with a flight to Mars ASAP !". He does partly to help promote the importance of continuing US manned spaceflight past the end of the Apollo programme and partly because he wants to {{troll}} president Nixon in a FriendlyRivalry kind of way...

* WishFulfillment: ''Subverted massively'', since Baxter [[GenreSavvy was well aware]] of the limitations of supporting a large-scale space programme, even in an alternate timeline. His ultimate point seems to be : "If you want to go to Mars in the 70s or 80s, fine. But you'll have to make some harsh sacrifices." Yes, the Apollo programme hardware is further expanded upon and is eventually used for a manned flight to Mars. Yes, research into NERVA rockets gets further than in our history due to increased funding. ''But'', on the downside : The Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions are cancelled, the Space Shuttle project is completely stillborn, American space station projects are shorter-lived and, worst of all, most of the useful planetary space probes from our history were cancelled in this timeline. This is all done so the manned flight to Mars can have a larger and better budget. The lack of sufficient space probe exploration in ''Voyage'''s timeline (no ''Mariner 10'', ''Pioneer'', ''Voyager'', ''Viking'' probes) eventually leads to an unfortunate consequence : Astronomers, common people and even the crew of the Mars mission know far less detailed information about the planets of the Solar System than people in our timeline knew during the same historical period. ''This includes Mars'', due to the cancellation of the ''Viking'' missions. BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor ''[[TakeThatAudience indeed]]'' !

* SmallReferencePools: Averted in regards to the planned landing site of the Mars mission. The landing is supposed to take place in the valley of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangala_Valles Mangala Valles]]. While known, it is certainly not one of the Martian geographic features that are considered more iconic in the popular imagination.

* AudienceSurrogate: Natalie York, who's also the closest thing to a main protagonist in the novel. She's not a professional astronaut, just the mission's geologist and is the only civilian in the three member crew of the ''Ares''. In the chapters showing her student years and early fascination with planetary geology, she often plays the role of a DeadpanSnarker that it critical of overambitious and risky spacecraft projects, such as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA NERVA]].