Searching for an old sci fi story (humans stranded on a world far away)

[Aki.Ross]

I am searching for a science fiction short story I have read about 1990.

A space ship of the humans strands on a paradisiac world (or in its orbit). The FTL drive for bringing them home is still functional but the impulse drive is beyond repair. But the impulse drive is needed to bring the ship away from the planet far enough to activate the FTL drive. Otherwise the whole planet would be destroyed. There is not other hope for getting home but to use the FTL drive. No one knews of the ship's location so there will be no rescue party. With a heavy heart the crew decides to stay on the planet to not sacrifice this beautiful world for their return.

 

[Aki.Ross]

(Bumping post) -- TDZ

 

[Danny McG]

Hello!

I am searching for a science fiction short story I have read about 1990.

A space ship of the humans strands on a paradisiac world (or in its orbit). The FTL drive for bringing them home is still functional but the impulse drive is beyond repair. But the impulse drive is needed to bring the ship away from the planet far enough to activate the FTL drive. Otherwise the whole planet would be destroyed. There is not other hope for getting home but to use the FTL drive. No one knews of the ship's location so there will be no rescue party. With a heavy heart the crew decides to stay on the planet to not sacrifice this beautiful world for their return.

Linking in the same question from 2016

Searching for an old sci fi story (humans stranded on a world far away)

I am searching for a science fiction short story I have read about 1990. A space ship of the humans strands on a paradisiac world (or in its orbit). The FTL drive for bringing them home is still functional but the impulse drive is beyond repair. But the impulse drive is needed to bring the ship...

www.sffchronicles.com

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Merged the two threads, as the old one is bumped now.

 

[Montero]

Can't remember about the FTL and not breaking the planet, but stranded humans occur in a series by Marion Zimmer Bradley - the Darkover series. At some point she wrote what was basically a prequel - of the planetary landing.

 

[Ravensquawk]

"The Golden Helix" by Theodore Sturgeon is not a strong match, but here it is just in case.
(But without a link, 'cause they won't let me!
The ship and crew are transported farther than they could travel stranded by DNA "collectors" and definitely don't decide to stay on the planet. Sturgeon somehow makes it sound noble that these people were forced to stay on that planet and devolve over generations so that the collectors would have each species preserved.

 

[The Judge]

"The Golden Helix" by Theodore Sturgeon is not a strong match, but here it is just in case.
(But without a link, 'cause they won't let me!

Sorry! The software stops links made by members with fewer than 15 posts, in order to disrupt spammers. Get a few more posts under your belt, and you'll be good to go!

Meanwhile, here's a link to the Goodreads page for The Golden Helix if it's of help to Aki.Ross: The Golden Helix

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Bit off track, but there's a short story, Time Fuze by Randall Garrett in which and FTL drive causes the sun to go nova in a new system when the ship arrives. Which means they have to stay in the system because they can't risk returning to Earth. But nothing about the planetary side of things.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Venusian Broon]

It has echoes of Philip K. Dick's A Maze of Death, in that there are people on a ship trapped around an alien world and they can't escape and they can't communicate with Earth. But I don't think there is anything about the FTL drive etc...

 

[Galactic Bus Driver]

This makes me think of C. J. Cherryh's "Foreigner," but I don't think it's the one you're looking for. Humans are stranded by an FTL (well, navigational really) malfunction, but they can't leave because the ship left them in orbit on a space station. So, they decide to abandon the station in favor of the real, inhabited, world below. Goodreads link, just in case.