NASA: Arthur C. Clarke will be missed

WASHINGTON, March 19 (UPI) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration issued a statement Wednesday, mourning the death of renowned scientist and author Arthur C. Clarke.

"Arthur Clarke was a gifted writer of science and science fiction, and an unparalleled visionary of the future, inspiring countless young people throughout the middle and later 20th century with his hopeful vision of how spaceflight would transform societies, economies, and humankind itself, said NASA Associate Administrator Alan Stern.

"Although his personal odyssey here on Earth is now over, his vision lives on through his writing," said Stern. "He will be sorely missed."

A British-born writer, inventor and futurist, Clarke died Wednesday in Sri Lanka, where he had lived for more than 50 years, his aide said.

Having earned degrees in both physics and mathematics, Clark wrote "2001: A Space Odyssey" and collaborated with Stanley Kubrick in the landmark movie. But he was best known for hundreds of science fiction books and short stories -- including "Childhood's End," "The Nine Billion Names of God" and "Imperial Earth" -- as well as numerous scientific books and papers.

Last December, on his 90th birthday, he recorded a video message to his friends and fans bidding them goodbye.