In Memoriam: Arthur Charles Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke died on March 19, 2008 at his home in Sri Lanka. Although he was most popularly known as a science fiction writer, most notably for his collaboration with director Stanley Kubrick on the novel and enormously successful movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, he is best known to COMARA for his prescient concept of the geostationary communications satellite, which he described in a paper titled Extra-Terrestrial Relays - Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?, published in Wireless World in October 1945.
An article [Word document] prepared for Science magazine
by Joe Pelton and John Logsdon, GWU
The Legacy of Arthur C. Clarke-Renaissance Writer and Scientist
This Is Your Life Arthur C. Clarke "Renaissance Man"
By Joe Pelton- Born in Minehead, England during WW I in December 16, 1917
- Moved to Ballifants in 1924
- Huish Grammar School in Taunton, Somerset, England- 1927
- First Rocket experiments in early 1930s
- Light beam transmitter of sound developed in 1934 (age 17)
- Executive Grade: Civil Service Exam - Entered the Civil Service 1936 the "fastest slide rule in Whitehall" (age 18)
- Entered the Royal Air Force as Class II Radio/Wireless Mechanic March 18, 1941
- ExtraTerrestrial Relays appears in Wireless World presenting the idea of a global communications satellite network (October 1945)
- The Rocket and the Future of Warfare essay by Arthur Clarke outlines "Mutual Assured Destruction" and wins RAF contest (November 1945)
- Guardian Angel written in July 1946 (basis of Childhood's End) and completed just before he started studies at King's College,
- Started college in general science at King's College, London (October 7, 1946)
- Elected Chairman of the British Interplanetary Society (1946)
- Graduated with a First Class degree in two years King's College
- Childhood's End published to critical acclaim and huge success (1953)
- First visit to Sri Lanka in 1954 and first underwater expedition in 1955
- Launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957
- Title of 2001: A Space Odyssey selected as the title of the screen play based on Arthur Clarke's Sentinel short story (May 1965)
- Rendezvous with Rama won the Hugo, Nebula, Campbell & Jupiter Awards (1973)
- Fountains of Paradise novel presenting the concept of a space elevator
- Arthur C. Clarke Foundation launched at the US White House (1983)
- Ascent to Orbit, a Scientific Autobiography, published. (1984)
- Arthur is designated the Chancellor of the International Space University (1985)
- The UN, Arthur C. Clarke Foundation and Washington, D.C. Government recognizes Arthur C. Clarke Day at Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (October 3, 2001)
- Sixtieth Anniversary of Wireless World celebrated, UN recognized Arthur C. Clarke Day on Oct. 3, 2005
- Arthur reaches his 90th birthday in Sri Lanka on December 16, 2007 having written well over a hundred short stories, books and screenplays for critically acclaimed movies, including 2001: A Space Odyssey that is considered one of the top ten movies of all time. He is also widely acknowledged to be the "father of satellite communications" and an leading exponent of the "space elevator"
- Arthur goes to rest in peace March 18, 2008 with millions of mourners lamenting his departure from this planet as he finds his place among the stars. At the time of his death there was an X-Ray event (NGC) that represented a release of energy 250 times greater than ever recorded. Accident or fitting cosmic tribute?
His many friends and supports now hope that the ITU, the UN and other international agencies will join the International Astronomical Union in declaring Geo Orbit the Clarke Orbit.
Posters: 
Some of the information was extracted from Science Magazine April 11, 2008
Prepared by Joseph N. Pelton, Founding President of the SSPI and Founder of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation