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Best known as a science fiction writer (2001: A Space Odyssey, Childhood's End), Clarke also had a distinguished career in "real" science. While a radar technician in the Royal Air Force (1941-1946), Clarke had an idea which he wrote up in a 1945 technical paper: "Extra-terrestrial Relays: Can Rocket Stations Give World-wide Radio Coverage?" It was the invention of the geosynchronous communications satellite. He calculated that by putting a satellite at 22,300 miles above the equator, it would orbit the Earth at the same rate that the Earth rotated on its axis, making the satellite appear to always stay directly above a point on the equator. That way ground stations could always point to it, and it could relay signals. The 22,300-mile orbit is now officially known as the "Clarke Orbit", but it took nearly 20 years for the first operational satellite to be placed there (and 10 before the first orbital rocket flight). Today, that band of space is stuffed with satellites. He mused he "lost a billion dollars in my spare time" by not patenting the idea. His writing also predicted space stations, cell phones, and the Internet. He won essentially all important science fiction awards, including the Nebula, Hugo, John W. Campbell, Locus, Jupiter, and the British Science Fiction Association awards. He was also nominated for a Nobel Prize in 1994, and was knighted in 1998. Sir Arthur, who emigrated to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1956, continued writing and living there until his death on March 19. He was 90.
From This is True for 16 March 2008
Suggestions for further reading:
2001: A Space Odyssey
by Arthur C. Clarke
Amazon Price: $7.99
Customer Review: 2001 is a book that I had been planning to read since I had seen the movie 10 years ago. i never got around to reading the book because I figured that it would be just as cryptic as the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. Having read C...
Childhood's End (Del Rey Impact)
by Arthur C. Clarke
Amazon Price: $10.20
Customer Review: Excellent book, very well done. I specially liked the part where everyone in the stadium feels the bull's pain has he gets stabbed by the toreador.
Rendezvous with Rama
by Arthur C. Clarke
Amazon Price: $7.99
Customer Review: His best work by far. Easily deserves all the awards it won. All the great science, story line, and without some of the cheesy crap that showed up at the end of Childhood's End and 2001.
Dealt witht he arrival to aliens in a creative...
The Fountains of Paradise
by Arthur C. Clarke
Amazon Price:
Customer Review:
Not his best work, but by far not his worst. It's a cohesive story from start to finish, with just enough science on one main topic (a space bridge) to make it all worth while. It's not a fast read and is more character driven than topic driven...
2061: Odyssey Three
by Arthur C. Clarke
Amazon Price: $10.17
Customer Review: I am giving this one two stars out of respect for one of my favourite authors. I have 3001 at home but can't bring myself to read it.
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