Monday Problems, A Science Fictional Take

My microwave oven started to spark and overheat this morning. Now, if I were the hero of a Heinlein novel, I'd put the microwave on my repair bench, pop it open and fix the problem. Here in reality, I think I'll just trash the old unit and buy a new one. Since I bought the Late Lamented in Newport, Rhode Island in 1990, I think I got my money's worth.

The Heinlein thought came to me as I was driving to work. Were I a colonist on Mars anytime in the foreseeable future, fixing the microwave would probably be something to seriously consider. After all, until Mars gets their own microwave factories, new units would have to come from Earth, and be terribly expensive. When a unit blew, you'd either fix it or take it to somebody who could.

Although this is a trivial example, life on another planet would involve lots of mechanical devices. A key factor in any design would (or should) be repairability. Having the main fan for the air filtration system in an inaccessible spot would be a real problem. Considering details like that can add some verisimilitude to one's writing.

Tomorrow's deep thought will be about my weekend at the Rotary district conference and The Drowsy Chaperone.