Sir Arthur C. Clarke, 1917-2008

Sir Arthur C. Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey has died at age 90. He was more than a science fiction author.

In 1943 he was assigned to work with a team of American scientist-engineers who had developed the first radar-controlled system for landing airplanes in bad weather. That experience led to Mr. Clarke's only non-science fiction novel, "Glide Path" (1963). More important, it led in 1945 to a technical paper, published in the British journal "Wireless World," establishing the feasibility of artificial satellites as relay stations for Earth-based communications.In 1943 he was assigned to work with a team of American scientist-engineers who had developed the first radar-controlled system for landing airplanes in bad weather. That experience led to Mr. Clarke's only non-science fiction novel, "Glide Path" (1963). More important, it led in 1945 to a technical paper, published in the British journal "Wireless World," establishing the feasibility of artificial satellites as relay stations for Earth-based communications.

The N.Y. Times addresses Sir Arthur's gayness thusly:

While sharing his passions for space and the sea with a worldwide readership, Mr. Clarke kept his emotional life private. He was briefly married in 1953 to an American diving enthusiast named Marilyn Mayfield; they separated after a few months and were divorced in 1964.

One of his closest relationships was with Leslie Ekanayake, a fellow diver in Sri Lanka, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1977. Mr. Clarke shared his home in Colombo with Leslie"s brother, Hector, his partner in the diving business, Hector"s wife Valerie; and their three daughters.

Mr. Clarke"s standard answer when journalists asked him outright if he was gay was, "No, merely mildly cheerful."