SOLVED - Scifi, transmitt copy of oneself to long distance ship, never supposed to meet copy, but... [s]

[Ken]

SCFI book I read in the 80's

We sent many many probes to deep space. When one finds something interesting it calls home. Then volunteers walk into a booth and a copy of them is sent to the probe. Now two of you exist living separate lives. They are never supposed to make it back to earth, but one does.

All I remember about this book is that cool way they explored. Does that ring any bells for anyone?

[Ann aka Iftcan]

NO Idea what it is Ken--but it sure sounds like something that I'll be adding to my TBR mountains.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

There's a similar concept, faster-than-light transport, but can only go to-and-from existing transmitters. So they toss transmitters on vessels going near light-speed. And you transport aboard them for a one-year shift and check out things as the sphere of possible places to go increase (dropping off transmitters as necessary along the way). Then something unexpected happens, they transmit to another alien race using the same principle but they breathe methane. Of course it results in a death, but story leads out with the two races deciding to share codes and double the volume of explored space (since no competition for worlds).

And of course now I can't remember either the author or title, but it was some big-name dude. It might be: _The Enemy Stars_ by Poul Anderson

There's a list of stuff in this trope here:
http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/...

http://books.google.com/books?id=uefw...

[Andy]

This could be a Jack Williamson and Fred Pohl's Farthest Star/Wall Around a Star (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89...). If it was just teleporting to the Moon, it would be "Rogue Moon" by Budrys

[Ken]

Farthest Star that is it! Many thanks. Funny how all I remember from it was the cool tech, nothing of the story. Reading reviews now it all comes back.

Thank you this was bugging me for years yet only took 18 hours on goodreads to solve it.

[Chris]

It's available on Amazon.co.UK for 0.01

[Andy]

Ken wrote: "Farthest Star that is it! Many thanks. Funny how all I remember from it was the cool tech, nothing of the story. Reading reviews now it all comes back.

Thank you this was bugging me for years ..."

Glad to help.

[Brian]

Darn, I had something else in mind that was bugging me after I read your post.

I remember one with twins rather than copies, and another one where a 'bubble girl' (no immune system) is sent out with a parrot since she has no hope of living a normal life on earth.

So now I'm trying to remember two more. This list is supposed to be helping right? :-)

[Andy]

The one with twins might be Heinlein's Time for the Stars (twins with a telepathic connection, used as a communication system between Earth and a spaceship)

[Cheryl]

Please start new threads so we can keep everything organized and accessible for future seekers.