pre-spaceflight adj.

from, or characteristic of, a time before spaceflight

  • [1943 A. E. van Vogt Concealment in Astounding Science-Fiction Sept. 96/1 page image A. E. van Vogt bibliography

    And the man’s name, Watcher, is so typical of the ancient pre-spaceship method of calling names on Earth according to the trade. It is possible that even the sun, where he is watching, is a service heritage of his family. ]

  • 1952 ‘W. Morrison’ Dragon Army in Fantastic Adventures Nov. 20/2 page image William Morrison bibliography

    It was a low-powered atomic jet ship, of the most primitive design, resembling the one-man jets of the pre-spaceflight era.

  • 1972 G. Zebrowski Omega Point 16 George Zebrowski bibliography

    He is fond of citing vast amounts of earth history, mostly pre-spaceflight and solar system bound, to support his views which have gained some influence in recent years.

  • 1989 P. J. McAuley Jacob’s Rock in Amazing Stories Mar. 101 page image Paul J. McAuley bibliography

    A long time ago, in the same history course where she had learnt about ramscoops, Elena had come across an ancient print encapsulating an otherwise forgotten pre-spaceflight cosmology.

  • 2005 T. Zahn Night Train to Rigel (2006) 302 Timothy Zahn bibliography

    But as I say, all peoples were beaten back to pre-space-flight levels, some to even preindustrial levels. So matters remained for three hundred years. The Thread still existed, but no one had the capability to reach it. Indeed, for most peoples even the rumor of its existence was lost…. Then, by chance, the Chahwyn discovered a cache of Shonkla-raa technology that had been hidden before war’s end. With it we were able to reach again into space; and with access to the Thread, we gained the stars.

  • 2020 P. F. Hamilton Saints of Salvation 491 Peter F. Hamilton bibliography

    ‘We have wormholes and portals stretching almost halfway around the galaxy,’ Kandara said. ‘We are not and never will be “caged in.” Stop thinking in pre-spaceflight terms.’

Research requirements

any evidence 1952
Earliest cite

William Morrison, "The Dragon Army", in Fantastic Adventures
Research History
Ralf Brown located and Fred Galvin submitted a 1972 cite from George Zebrowski's "The Omega Point".
Douglas Winston submitted a 1993 cite from "Starpilot's Grave" by Debra Doyle and James D.Macdonald.
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 2006 reprint of Timothy Zahn's 2005 "Night Train to Rigel".
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2020 cite from Peter F. Hamilton.

Last modified 2021-11-18 20:26:59
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.