Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008): 'œBirth, Death, and Future'

William Atkins
Wednesday, 19 March 2008 19:25

Science - Space

Science fiction writer and inventor Arthur C. Clarke died on March 19, 2008. His "2001: A Space Odyssey" is considered one of the best movies ever made. His concept of geostationary satellites provides the world with communications. His life was about the future!         

Clarke is probably best known for the novel and the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey.”  [director Stanley Kubrick website on 2001]

He is also credited with popularizing the idea of the geostationary satellite. Now, hundreds of geostationary satellites provide continuous communications to all the peoples of the world.

Satellites that provide television coverage, for instance, are a type of geostationary satellite.

A geostationary orbit is a specific type of geosynchronous orbit (where a satellite in orbit is positioned above the same spot on Earth all of the time), one that is in a circular orbit and directly above the Earth’s equator.

The orbit, approximately 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above the surface of the Earth, is commonly called a Clarke orbit in honor of Arthur C. Clarke.

Here are a few of the most interesting and informative of the tributes to Sir Arthur C. Clarke.

The New York Times: “Arthur C. Clarke, 90, Science Fiction Writer, Dies”

USA Today: “Arthur C. Clarke's life was an 'Odyssey' of the mind”

The Washington Post (Associated Press): “Writer Arthur C. Clarke Dies at 90”

National Public Radio (NPR): “'Space Odyssey' Author Clarke Dies at 90”

AFP: “Last odyssey for sci-fi guru Arthur C. Clarke”

The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation: “Clarke Foundation”

ArthurCClarke.net: “Sir Arthur C. Clarke Dies”

The Quotations Page: “Quotations by Arthur C. Clarke”

The Arthur C. Clarke Award: “The Arthur C. Clarke Award is the UK’s premier prize for science fiction literature”