Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) is a genius in the field of electric power, practically the signle man on whose theories the modern power grid was built.

Prior to the events of Martian Dreams, Tesla had managed to ignite the "War of Currents", by selling his patents on alterninc current, which he saw as the future, to the Westinghouse company, which began a stong competition with the company of Edison, later General Electric. Tesla himself started a deep rivalry with Edison, that would last a life long.

Ironically, at the very 1893 world's fair where the alterning current would prove its superiority, the space cannon was launched. Tesla started to build another capsule for a rescue attempt and was ready to launch two years later, when the Avatar arrived.

Once on Mars, Tesla stayed near the capsule in order to supervise the equipment that would enable them to communicate with Earth. His instructions proved to be important in order to repair the power grid of the planet. However, he refused to repair a direct-current motor, saying that Edison sould do that.

After returning to Earth, Tesla would make many more inventions in the power sector, but would have little luck with money. At his death 1943 in New York, he'd amassed a huge debt.