space field n. 2

a place esp. on the surface of a planet where spacecraft can take off and land; = spaceport n.

Cf. airfield (1919 in OED).

  • 1939 C. D. Simak Cosmic Engineers in Astounding Science-Fiction Feb. 58/2 page image Clifford D. Simak bibliography

    There was no stir of life about the buildings that huddled between the space-field and the mountains.

  • 1941 W. P. McGivern Mystery on Base Ten in Amazing Stories Jan. 221/2 page image William P. McGivern bibliography

    He stared unseeingly at the vast, sprawling space field, with its dozens of mooring towers and expulsion tubes, repair pits and checking offices.

  • 1947 E. E. Smith Children of the Lens in Astounding Science-Fiction Nov. 19/2 page image Edward E. Smith bibliography

    Two big, gray-clad Lensmen stood upon the deserted spacefield.

  • 1950 J. Vance Five Gold Bands in Startling Stories Nov. 54/2 page image Jack Vance bibliography

    The Shauls had sheared off and leveled the peak of an old volcano to make Aevelye’s space-field. When Paddy and Fay brought their boat down they found themselves overlooking a vast panorama of badlands, a chopped and hacked region of red, yellow, and green-gray rock.

  • 1953 R. D. Nicholson Far from the Warming Sun in Galaxy Sept. 110/2 page image R. Douglas Nicholson bibliography

    The ‘space field’ was an arbitrarily defined area of ice, and the tower a plastic affair, rising about two hundred feet into the poisonous air.

  • 1966 S. R. Delany Babel-17 (1976) 39 Samuel R. Delany bibliography

    They left the Discorporate Sector and took the monorail through the tortuous remains of Transport Town, then along the edge of the space-field.

  • 1969 ‘P. Chapdelaine’ Spork Conquers Civilization in Worlds of If July 70 page image Perry A. Chapdelaine bibliography

    Other buildings scattered here and there surrounded the space field.

  • 1986 P. J. McAuley Airs of Earth in Amazing Stories Jan. 35 page image Paul J. McAuley bibliography

    The doctor’s eager seeking expression reminded him of the wretches who sometimes haunted spacefields, drawn by the glamor [sic] of space travel but lacking the necessary talent or wealth.

  • 1993 B. Shaw Alien Porn in Interzone (#67) Jan. 29/2 page image Bob Shaw bibliography

    I’m going to set up a checkpoint at the space field, and I’m going to inspect the incoming…baggage.

  • 2001 P. Di Filippo Babylon Sisters in Interzone (#168) June 21/1 page image Paul Di Filippo bibliography

    I came to myself at the lock leading to the spacefield.

  • 2012 E. Brown Helix Wars 309 page image Eric Brown bibliography

    A kilometre further on, Ellis saw the first signs of activity on the spacefield. Fliers came and went.


Research requirements

antedating 1939

Earliest cite

Clifford Simak, "Cosmic Engineers", in Astounding

Last modified 2022-12-29 15:34:34
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.