SFS News: Sir Arthur C. Clarke Died At Age Of 90

Klaus Schmidt · Posted on: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:31 am

After prolific and esteemed career, Sir Arthur C. Clarke has passed away in his home of Sri Lanka. Most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, Clarke wrote dozens of science fiction and non fiction books and essays.

Clarke was born in Minehead, Somerset, England. As a boy, he enjoyed stargazing and reading old American science fiction pulp magazines (many of which made their way to the UK in ships with sailors who read them to pass the time). After secondary school and studying at Huish's Grammar School, Taunton, he was unable to afford a university education and got a job as an auditor in the pensions section of the Board of Education.

Clarke wrote a number of non-fiction books describing the technical details and societal implications of rocketry and space flight. The most notable of these may be The Exploration of Space (1951) and The Promise of Space (1968). In recognition of these contributions, a geostationary orbit is officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union as a "Clarke orbit".

Clarke lived in Sri Lanka from 1956 until his death, emigrating there when it was still called Ceylon, first in Unawatuna on the south coast, and then in Colombo. Clarke held citizenship of both the UK and Sri Lanka. He was an avid scuba diver and a member of the Underwater Explorers Club; living in Sri Lanka afforded him the opportunity to visit the ocean year-round. It also inspired the locale for his novel The Fountains of Paradise, in which he first described a space elevator. This, he believed, ultimately will be his legacy, more so than geostationary satellites, once space elevators make space shuttles obsolete.

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Klaus Schmidt Space Station Commander Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:55 pm Posts: 506 Location: Germany	SFS News: Sir Arthur C. Clarke Died At Age Of 90 Posted on: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:31 am After prolific and esteemed career, Sir Arthur C. Clarke has passed away in his home of Sri Lanka. Most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, Clarke wrote dozens of science fiction and non fiction books and essays. Clarke was born in Minehead, Somerset, England. As a boy, he enjoyed stargazing and reading old American science fiction pulp magazines (many of which made their way to the UK in ships with sailors who read them to pass the time). After secondary school and studying at Huish's Grammar School, Taunton, he was unable to afford a university education and got a job as an auditor in the pensions section of the Board of Education. Clarke wrote a number of non-fiction books describing the technical details and societal implications of rocketry and space flight. The most notable of these may be The Exploration of Space (1951) and The Promise of Space (1968). In recognition of these contributions, a geostationary orbit is officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union as a "Clarke orbit". Clarke lived in Sri Lanka from 1956 until his death, emigrating there when it was still called Ceylon, first in Unawatuna on the south coast, and then in Colombo. Clarke held citizenship of both the UK and Sri Lanka. He was an avid scuba diver and a member of the Underwater Explorers Club; living in Sri Lanka afforded him the opportunity to visit the ocean year-round. It also inspired the locale for his novel The Fountains of Paradise, in which he first described a space elevator. This, he believed, ultimately will be his legacy, more so than geostationary satellites, once space elevators make space shuttles obsolete. Feel free to discuss this article in this topic.
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Rocket Scientist Space Walker Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:28 am Posts: 189 Location: Northern California	Posted on: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:19 am One of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century. R.I.P. Sir Arthur C. Clark _________________ Something is impossible until it isn't!
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Rob Goldsmith Moon Mission Member Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am Posts: 1262 Location: Exeter, Devon, England	Posted on: Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:10 am very sad _________________ > http://www.fullmoonclothing.com > http://www.facebook.com/robsastrophotography > robgoldsmith@hotmail.co.uk
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thomson Spaceflight Participant Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:17 am Posts: 71 Location: Gdansk, Poland	Posted on: Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:54 am He will never be forgotten. _________________ It's okay Pluto, I'm not a planet either.
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Klaus Schmidt Space Station Commander Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:55 pm Posts: 506 Location: Germany	Posted on: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:02 pm Besides the god-like entity his spaceflight view was quite realistic. No Warp engines, worm holes or whatsoever. Basically we do have this technology level already today, only a bit of engineering is missing. _________________ "The hardest hurdle to space isn't the technicalities and money. But rather, the courage and the will to do it." - Burt Rutan.
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Horus Spaceflight Participant Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:04 am Posts: 56 Location: Brisbane, Australia	Posted on: Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:44 am Noooo, he was like totally my hero... damn. _________________ I've become Death, the Destroyer of worlds...
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publiusr Space Station Commander Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 1:25 am Posts: 887	Posted on: Mon May 19, 2008 10:27 pm He will be missed...
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