Rendezvous with Rama, science and politics.

Rendezvous with Rama takes place in a far future (actually, during the year 2130) where some parts of the solar system have been colonised, especially the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Ganymede, Titan and Triton. There representants and the Earth's one meet at United Planet Headquarters, at Luna, a colony on the Moon.

If Rendezvous with Rama would have been written today, this list would probably contain Europe, a satellite of Jupiter. Indeed, it is supposed to be the best place to harbour life in the solar system (Earth excluded). But at a first look, it seems not so viable, with its icy world-wide ocean. I assume that's why there is no colony on Europa in Clarke's book : at this time, it seemed not so hospitable.

There are also some political issues, because the Hermians, as the inhabitants of Mercury are called, want to destroy Rama. Their planet is hot and it is hard for them to leave it, then they are known to be rude. Moreover, they speak short and clearly : they mean exactly what they say. They don't lie : when their ambassador doesn't want to reveal their destruction plans, he doesn't come to the United Planets Headquarters. They are very rational too, and don't want to take any chance, whereas the heroes have more faith in the fate of Rama : finally, they are saved by a Cosmo-Christer.

In the geopolitical context of the cold war, it is easy to think that Hermians represent the Russians, or more exactly the american view of the Russians : excepted that they live in a very cold, and not warm, country, they are also supposed to be rude and very rational (communists wanted to rationaly organise society). Their power was bound to continent as the Hermians can hardly leave their planet. The United States had more maritim power, and so are they represented by the space crews, because space is easily identified with sea : we speak of spaceships, for example. And so, at the end, Rama, the wonderful alien creation, is saved from ruin by a Cosmo-Christer's faith, whereas religion is forbiden in Russia.