spaceline n.

a company that offers passenger space flights, esp. on a regular route; such a route itself

  • 1930 J. W. Campbell Black Star Passes in Amazing Stories Quarterly Fall 499/1 page image John W. Campbell, Jr. bibliography

    The bonds of friendship between the two planets had grown swiftly in those three years, and they were already linked by many regular space lines. These ships made the trips as frequently as the relative positions of the planets permitted.

  • 1946 G. O. Smith Impossible Pirate in Astounding Science Fiction Dec. 63/2 page image George O. Smith bibliography

    The skipper had treated them with stories of his own and had explained that it had been the original intention to serve the dinner during the turnover, but all pilots were not as capable as the one they had now, and the turnover had been known to be rough at times—and no space line liked to have the job of removing spilled soup from fifty evening gowns, let alone the bad publicity.

  • 1950 L. S. de Camp Git Along! in Astounding Science Fiction Aug. 71/2 page image L. Sprague de Camp bibliography

    For the Osirian space-line did not run ships beyond Sol in that direction, and even the Viagens Interplanetarias did not run direct service from the Procyon-Sirius group to the Centaurine group.

  • 1950 L. S. de Camp Hand of Zei in Astounding Science Fiction Oct. 60/2 page image L. Sprague de Camp bibliography

    For the following reasons: Item, ere we Sha'akhfi be allowed on Earth or the Earthly space line, must we pledge ourselves the use of this small talent to forswear. And since our own space line runs not hitherward nigher than Epsilon Eridani, to visit the Cetic planets must we of the Procyonic group to this pledge subject ourselves.

  • 1952 C. M. Kornbluth The Goodly Creatures in Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Dec. 81 page image C. M. Kornbluth bibliography

    Farwell snorted and poured himself a drink before he buckled down to planning a series of releases for the International Spacemen’s Union. The space lines, longing for the old open-shop days, were sniping at the I.S.U. wherever they found an opening.

  • 1953 E. F. Russell It's In Blood in Fantastic Universe June–July 175/1 Eric Frank Russell bibliography

    She would be so happy and proud at having given the space-lines another Fanshaw.

  • 1971 M. G. Coney Beneath Still Waters in Worlds of If Jan. 75/1 page image Michael G. Coney bibliography

    Look at it this way, Chandi. Given a spaceline disaster, my only reaction is morbid interest as to whether any death-toll records may be broken.

  • 1999 H. G. Stratmann To Him Who Waits in Analog Science Fiction & Fact Dec. 61/2 H. G. Stratmann bibliography

    ‘Your starship was delayed by an ion storm in the Cirrus system. I’m linked to the spaceport’s Primary Artificial Intelligence Network, and will inform you immediately when PAIN notifies me of your flight’s new estimated departure time.’ Kroosew stroked the back of his head fretfully, then noticed the clump of greasy gray hairs stuck to his palm. [...] The attendant murmured reassuringly, ‘Pan Galactic Spacelines, your “On Time, Some of the Time” spaceline, apologizes for any inconvenience you may be experiencing. I hope the hotel accommodations PAIN arranged for you during these delays have been satisfactory.’

  • 2006 E. M. Lerner A New Order of Things in Analog Science Fiction & Fact May vii. 30/2 Edward M. Lerner bibliography

    The door to that office read: ‘Jovial Spacelines.’ Spaceport legend claimed Montoya had been so taken with a typo that he had abandoned his firm’s original, locale-apropos name. [...] There was a reason for meeting here—the dingy, paperwork-covered walls masked the most snoop-proofed facility on Callisto. The spaceline was a front organization for the United Planets Intelligence Agency, and Montoya was the local UPIA station chief. He reported to the security officer of the project no one had yet identified beyond veiled references to a nearby astronomical body, to which, not coincidentally, the only civilian flights authorized were Jovial charters.


Research requirements

antedating 1930

Earliest cite

John W. Campbell, Jr., 'The Black Star Passes'

Research History
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1959 reprint of Robert Silverberg's "The Planet Killers" (originally published in 1957 as "This World Must Die!").
Mike Christie submitted a 1946 cite from B. I. Kahn's "For the Public".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1930 cite from John W. Campbell, Jr.'s "The Black Star Passes".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1950 cite from L. Sprague de Camp's 'Git Along!'
Fred Galvin submitted a 1953 cite from Eric Frank Russell's "It's In the Blood".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1950 cite from L. Sprague de Camp's "The Hand of Zei".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1952 cite from C.M. Kornbluth's "The Goodly Creatures".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1946 cite from Emmett McDowell's "Beyond the Yellow Fog".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1953 cite from H. B. Fyfe's "Fast Passage".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1952 cite from Gordon Dewey's "Hoiman and the Solar Circuit".
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 1999 cite from H. G. Stratmann.
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 2006 cite from E. M. Lerner.

Last modified 2024-11-17 00:09:25
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.