Sir Arthur C Clarke dies

The visionary science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke has died at his home in Sri Lanka at the age of 90.

He wrote more than 100 books including 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was made into a landmark film by director Stanley Kubrick in 1968.

Sir Arthur's novels made uncanny predictions about the future, foreseeing the use of satellites, space travel and mobile phones.

Born in Minehead, Somerset, the author spent the last 50 years in his adopted home of Sri Lanka, where he indulged his passion for underwater exploration.

His fiction was informed by the scientific research he first undertook while working for the RAF in World War Two.

In 1945 Sir Arthur published a paper called Extra-terrestrial Relays in which he first set out the principles of communication with satellites orbiting the earth- an idea that became reality 25 years later.

He worked with scientists and engineers in the US in the development of spacecraft and launch systems.

Sir Arthur's work, which led to the global satellite systems in use today, brought him numerous honours and academic recognition.

Today, the geostationary orbit at 36,000 kilometres above the equator is named The Clarke Orbit by the International Astronomical Union.

In 1998, he was given a knighthood, an honour formally conferred by Prince Charles in Sri Lanka two years later.

The astronomer Patrick Moore paid tribute to his friend, saying: "He was a great visionary, a brilliant science fiction writer and a great forecaster.

"He foresaw communications satellites, a nationwide network of computers, interplanetary travel - he said there would be a man on the moon by 1970, while I said 1980 - and he was right."

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