Skip to content

Home
About
Bibliography
Books
Behind The Black
Archives
Space Watch
Contact Robert Zimmerman

Tag: starships

Using a black hole as your starship engine

May 19, 2011 9:05 am Robert Zimmerman

Using a black hole as your starship engine.

0 comments

Search

Search for:

Tip Jar

Support Behind The Black

Reader support keeps the site independent.

Best method: Zelle

Zelle through your bank is the best way to donate or subscribe, because it charges no fees to you or me. What you donate is what I get. At your bank's Zelle page you will need to give my name and email address. Click the button below to verify and copy that information. It will not be displayed here.

Click below to verify and copy the Zelle recipient email. The email will not be displayed on this page.

Patreon

Use Patreon for a one-time donation or one of five monthly subscription amounts.

PayPal

Use PayPal for a one-time donation or a monthly subscription by credit card or PayPal account.

Monthly subscription

Donate by check

If electronic payment methods do not work, send your donation by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman, to:

Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O. Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652

Now available as a hardback, paperback, and ebook!

In this ground-breaking new history of early America, historian Robert Zimmerman not only exposes the lie behind The New York Times 1619 Project that falsely claims slavery is central to the history of the United States, he also provides profound lessons about the nature of human societies, lessons important for Americans today as well as for all future settlers on Mars and elsewhere in space.

Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space is available everywhere at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all book vendors. All editions can also be purchased directly from the ebook publisher ebookit, thus giving the author a bigger percentage much sooner.

“Zimmerman’s ground-breaking history provides every future generation the basic framework for establishing new societies on other worlds. We would be wise to heed what he says.”
— Robert Zubrin, founder of the Mars Society

From the moment he is handed a possibility of making the first alien contact, Saunders Maxwell decides he will do it, even if doing so takes him through hell and back. Unfortunately, that is exactly where that journey takes him.

A riveting new science fiction book by Robert Zimmerman that captures the heart of the human spirit, willing to push forward no matter the odds, no matter the cost.

Available everywhere for $3.99 before discount at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, all ebook vendors, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.

So now I stand on earthside shore,
And wonder what I am.
I must go out and find my home.
The journey’s what I am.

Chorus:
O Pioneer! O Pioneer!
Where do you go from here?
O Pioneer! O Pioneer!
The stars are far too near.

The new edition of Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 includes a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon, from any other bookseller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 before discount at Amazon, or direct from the publisher, ebookit. If you buy from ebookit the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.

The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.

“Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America’s quest for the moon… Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America’s greatest human triumphs.”
— San Antonio Express-News

Leaving Earth is available as an inexpensive ebook!

Leaving Earth: Space Stations, Rival Superpowers, and the Quest for Interplanetary Travel can be purchased as an ebook everywhere for only $3.99 before discount at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, all ebook vendors, or direct from ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit, the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.

“Leaving Earth is one of the best and certainly the most comprehensive summary of our drive into space that I have ever read. It will be invaluable to future scholars because it will tell them how the next chapter of human history opened.”
— Arthur C. Clarke

Site Search

Search for:

Behind The Black Archives

Essays and Commentaries
The Evening Pause
Points of Information

Archives

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1986

Blacklisted Americans

Midnight repost: Genocide is coming to America
Bigoted academia upset that Trump won’t allow them to push the racist DEI agenda
The base of the Democratic Party has truly become nightmare to behold
Two lawsuits filed against NASA at its Marshall Space Flight Center
The left only has a short window remaining to stop its violence before the hammer strikes it hard
The left’s face of evil
Bank officials: Obama and Biden demanded we blacklist Republican customers
Another win for a blacklisted professor
Woke heads of Merchant Marine Academy who banned painting of Jesus fired
Another blacklisted professors wins big in court

Bibliography

Behind The Black

The Ten Most Recent Essays & Commentaries

Who really was Jay Gould? April 29, 2026
Propaganda vs reporting in describing the battle over NASA’s budget April 29, 2026
Isaacman before Congress: Speaking the truth to power April 23, 2026
Orion survives re-entry, crew splashes down safe April 10, 2026
America’s first foreign war on “the shores of Tripoli” has apparently never ended April 2, 2026
Watching the launch of the Artemis-2 mission April 1, 2026
The space station part of Isaacman’s new program is facing push back, from industry and Congress March 26, 2026
Lunar Gateway dead as NASA announces major changes to its future space station, lunar, and Mars plans March 24, 2026
The battle of Gettysburg as seen by those who lived it March 23, 2026
Uranus: one glimpse and that was forty years ago March 20, 2026

Conscious Choice:
The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space
Pioneer
Genesis, the Story of Apollo 8
Capitalism in Space
Leaving Earth
The Chronological Encyclopedia of Discoveries in Space
The Universe in a Mirror
Circuit Hikes of Southern Arizona

Recent And Upcoming Appearances

Radio: every Wednesday and Friday on the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally. Appearance times and days may vary, depending on events.

Radio: May 1, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: May 6, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: May 8, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: May 13, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: May 15, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: May 20, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: May 22, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: May 24, 2026, 12:00-2:00 pm (Pacific), The Space Show with David Livingston, as part of an open discussion about SpaceX’s 12th Starship/Superheavy test flight.
Radio: May 26, 2026, 6:00-8:00 pm (Pacific), The Space Show with David Livingston.
Radio: May 27, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: May 29, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.
Radio: June 3, 2026, the John Batchelor Show, syndicated nationally and available here and here.

Radio: June 3, 2026, 10:00 pm to 12:00 am (Pacific), Coast to Coast with George Noory.

Past Appearances

Comment Rules

I welcome all opinions, even those that strongly criticize my commentary.

However, name-calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. First time offenders who are new to the site will be warned. Second time offenders or first time offenders who have been here awhile will be suspended for a week. After that, I will ban you. Period.

Recent Comments

Mike Borgelt on Giant SpaceX barge for transporting Starship/Superheavy arrives in Texas Jun 3, 23:27
Sai Girl on June 3, 2026 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast Jun 3, 23:05
Dick Eagleson on France buys two manned missions from space station startup Vast Jun 3, 23:00
Dick Eagleson on Giant SpaceX barge for transporting Starship/Superheavy arrives in Texas Jun 3, 22:49
Dick Eagleson on Giant SpaceX barge for transporting Starship/Superheavy arrives in Texas Jun 3, 22:45
Dick Eagleson on Space station startup Voyager Technologies acquires lunar lander startup Astrobotic Jun 3, 22:37
F on SRT (Synowiec, Robinson, Towne) – Stayin’ Alive Jun 3, 22:26
COL Beausabre on Blue Origin CEO: “We will fly again before the end of this year.” Jun 3, 18:17
Richard M on June 3, 2026 Quick space links Jun 3, 18:16
Max on The wind speeds on seven exoplanets also suggest presence of magnetic fields Jun 3, 18:11
Dick Eagleson on Venturi Space expands investment in new French factory for building Astrolab’s rover Jun 3, 17:29
Dick Eagleson on June 2, 2026 Quick space links Jun 3, 17:24
Dick Eagleson on NASA abandons core module idea for its commercial space station program Jun 3, 17:14
Robert Zimmerman on Venturi Space expands investment in new French factory for building Astrolab’s rover Jun 3, 17:14
Dick Eagleson on Venturi Space expands investment in new French factory for building Astrolab’s rover Jun 3, 16:52
Dick Eagleson on June 3, 2026 Quick space links Jun 3, 16:49
pzatchok on June 2, 2026 Quick space links Jun 3, 16:25
john hare on June 2, 2026 Quick space links Jun 3, 16:20
pzatchok on Giant SpaceX barge for transporting Starship/Superheavy arrives in Texas Jun 3, 16:08
Nate P on June 2, 2026 Quick space links Jun 3, 14:51

Aggregate news sites

Instapundit
Rantingly
Doug Ross @ Journal
CutJib Newsletter
Ace of Spades
Whatfinger News
Badblue
Citizen Free Press
Free Republic
Real Clear Politics
Lucianne.com
CNS News
Newmax
Trending Politics
United Press International
Yahoo News

Aggregate Science News Sites

SpaceToday.net
Science/AAAS News
Science News
Nature
Space.com
Science Daily
Climate Depot
SpaceDaily

Science Blogs

Transterrestrial Musings
The Space Show
HobbySpace.com
NASAspaceflight.com
The Deplorable Climate Science Blog
Spaceflight Now
Watts Up With That?
Junk Science
Roy Spencer, Ph. D.
Climate Audit
The Emoluments of Mars
SpaceRef.com

Search for:

Search

Search for:

©2026 Bob Zimmerman | Site & Hosting by Amixa | Sitemap