Author
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Topic: Ben Bova, space/sci-fi author (1932-2020)
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 45279 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-30-2020 04:03 PM
Ben Bova, author and space exploration advocate, died on Sunday (Nov. 29, 2020). He was 88. From his niece (via Twitter): My Uncle Ben... by marriage... science fiction icon, author, adventure lover, story teller, futurist, and my son's namesake, Ben Bova, has passed away this morning from COVID-19 related pneumonia and a stroke. Needless to say, he will be missed terribly by us and the the world. From a biography prepared by the National Space Society: The author of more than 115 futuristic novels and nonfiction books, Dr. Ben Bova has been involved in science and high technology since the very beginnings of the space age. President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past president of Science Fiction Writers of America, Dr. Bova received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation in 2005, "for fueling mankind's imagination regarding the wonders of outer space." His "Grand Tour" novels, such as "Moonrise," "Mars," and "Titan" combine romance, adventure, and the highest degree of scientific accuracy to show how the human race will expand through the solar system, and the impact this will have on individual human lives and society as a whole. His nonfiction books, such as "Faint Echoes," "Distant Stars" and "Immortality," show how modern technology can be used to solve economic, social and political problems. In his various writings, Dr. Bova predicted the Space Race of the 1960s, solar power satellites, the discovery of organic chemicals in interstellar space, virtual reality, human cloning, the Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars), the discovery of life on Mars, the advent of international peacekeeping forces, the discovery of ice on the moon, electronic book publishing and zero-gravity sex. Dr. Bova taught science fiction at Harvard University and at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, where he also directed film courses. He received his doctorate in education in 1996 from California Coast University, a master of arts degree in communications from the State University of New York at Albany (1987) and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Temple University (1954). He was editorial director of Omni magazine and, earlier, editor of Analog magazine. He received the Science Fiction Achievement Award (the "Hugo") for Best Professional Editor six times. In 2001, Dr. Bova was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dr. Bova was manager of marketing for Avco Everett Research Laboratory, in Massachusetts, and worked with leading scientists in fields such as high-power lasers, artificial hearts and plasma dynamics. Earlier, he was technical editor on Project Vanguard, the first American artificial satellite program. Dr. Bova was on the Steering Committee for the NASA/Space Transportation Association study on space tourism. He served on panels of the Office of Technology Assessment. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the National Space Society, a charter member of the Planetary Society and a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society. |
SkyMan1958 Member Posts: 958 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 11-30-2020 04:25 PM
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sts205cdr Member Posts: 668 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 11-30-2020 04:36 PM
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ManInSpace Member Posts: 190 From: Brooklin, ON Canada Registered: Feb 2018
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posted 11-30-2020 04:49 PM
I first came across some of his earlier works while still a 1970s' High School student. His visions of what the possible (but not) "near future" could bring, never failed to excite me.Thank you Ben and Rest In Peace. |
Cozmosis22 Member Posts: 1054 From: Texas * Earth Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 11-30-2020 05:59 PM
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SpaceCadet1983 Member Posts: 299 From: Pacific NW, United States Registered: May 2012
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posted 11-30-2020 06:49 PM
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edorr Member Posts: 75 From: Chelmsford, MA Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 11-30-2020 07:58 PM
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GACspaceguy Member Posts: 2629 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 11-30-2020 08:02 PM
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randy Member Posts: 2351 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 11-30-2020 09:30 PM
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SpaceAholic Member Posts: 4726 From: Sierra Vista, Arizona Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-30-2020 09:32 PM
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Kevin T. Randall Member Posts: 1250 From: Chesham, Bucks UK Registered: Dec 2008
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posted 12-01-2020 12:37 AM
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Panther494 Member Posts: 471 From: London UK Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 12-01-2020 04:12 AM
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Kite Member Posts: 909 From: Northampton UK Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 12-01-2020 05:10 AM
I thoroughly enjoyed his novels "Mars," "Return to Mars" and "Jupiter." Must read some more.RIP. |
gareth89 Member Posts: 316 From: Ireland Registered: May 2014
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posted 12-01-2020 05:17 AM
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Jeff Member Posts: 514 From: Fayetteville, NC, USA Registered: May 2009
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posted 12-01-2020 07:35 AM
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LM1 Member Posts: 760 From: New York, NY Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 12-01-2020 07:46 AM
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minipci Member Posts: 400 From: London, UK Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 12-01-2020 11:59 AM
Loved his book "The Dueling Machine." |
star51L Member Posts: 397 From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 12-01-2020 03:49 PM
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dss65 Member Posts: 1215 From: Sandpoint, ID, USA Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 12-01-2020 07:37 PM
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Headshot Member Posts: 962 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 12-04-2020 11:08 AM
I remember Bova from his days at Analog as both writer and editor. He took over from John W. Campbell as editor in the early 70s and maintained the same level of quality, not an insignificant achievement. Some of his stories remain my favorites. He will be missed. |
capoetc Member Posts: 2229 From: McKinney TX (USA) Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 12-04-2020 08:50 PM
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alcyone Member Posts: 147 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 12-06-2020 09:17 PM
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Gilbert Member Posts: 1379 From: Carrollton, GA USA Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 12-16-2020 12:26 PM
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spaceheaded Member Posts: 154 From: MD Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 12-17-2020 07:29 AM
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413 is in Member Posts: 641 From: Alexandria, VA USA Registered: May 2006
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posted 12-18-2020 11:55 AM
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