The Death's Head Meteor

In the twenty-sixth century, Earth and Mars are linked by interplanetary radio, and the Meteorological Bureau treats space as a working frontier to be surveyed and exploited. When a warning arrives of a meteor swarm sweeping near Mars, scientist Jan Trenton is launched at once in a specialized prospecting flyer, ordered to intercept the drifting bodies and retrieve whatever samples or minerals they may yield. Jan's journey is a race against time and distance, carrying him from Earth's towering city roofs into the black precision of deep space. As he tracks the approaching "meteor train" with dials, bells, and careful calculation, he matches speed with the rocks, grapples onto one jagged body, and discovers iron, nickel, and a trace of platinum. But a violent collision cripples his craft and leaves it jammed to the meteor as it veers onto a collision course with Mars. Trapped in a blazing, failing ship, Jan fights with drills and atomic power until the last possible moment. The meteor plunges into Mars' atmosphere in fire and explosion, and Jan awakens alive. His calm report back to Earth turns a near-catastrophe into another hard day's work in a brisk, adventurous tale of spaceflight, technical ingenuity, and survival. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.