A photograph depicting a close-up of Jupiter's smallest moon Europa, signed and inscribed with over 20 words by feted British science fiction writer Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008), as "3001: The Final Odyssey / Tsienville may be / round here - but I'm / waiting for 10 m resolution / promised in Jan 97! / Ath C Clarke / 7 Nov 96" at center. The NASA photograph, (P-21764), is in brilliant glossy color and has extensive printed information verso related to the Voyager 2 space mission to the outermost planets in our solar system. A few words of Clarke's lengthy inscription have slightly smeared. Expected minor surface wear including gentle wrinkles, isolated foxing verso, and adhesive residue found along the top recto. Else near fine. 8.5" x 11."

Sir Arthur C. Clarke is considered one of the greatest science fiction and futurist fantasy writers of the twentieth century, alongside Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein. Clarke's photograph inscription refers to the title of the fourth and last book of the author's "Space Odyssey" series, "3001: The Final Odyssey" (1997). [The three preceding books were: "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968); "2010: Odyssey Two" (1982); and "2061: Odyssey Three" (1987)]. In the final novel, cryogenically frozen and revived astronaut Frank Poole explores the Jovian moon Europa, where a settlement named Tsienville has been established. Clarke's inscription thus includes a wonderful reference to his soon-to-be-published novel, and implicitly mentions the on-going Voyager 2 space mission (the "10 m resolution promised in Jan 97" almost certainly refers to an upcoming mission milestone.)

Over the course of his lifetime, then, Clarke was able to witness the fruition--either partial or complete--of many of his most far-fetched ideas, including the exploration of the outer solar system. NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology launched the Voyager 2 space probe in late August 1977. The space probe completed flybys of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in 1979, 1981, 1986, and 1989. Voyager 2 is still active today--some 44 years later--and has traveled 12 billion miles away from Earth. Voyager 2 crossed beyond the heliopause (the outermost boundary of the Sun) in 2018, and is now cruising through interstellar space.

Clarke co-wrote the 1968 screenplay for "2001: A Space Odyssey" with director Stanley Kubrick, using material from his 1951 pulp fiction short story "The Sentinel," along with other novelized material from the 1960s. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's seminal movie about space exploration, "2001: A Space Odyssey" was released one year prior to the Apollo XI moon-landing, and a full ten years before the "Star Wars" franchise began. The movie normalized the idea of space travel, exploration, and colonization, and also introduced disturbing dystopian tropes, like malignant artificial intelligence, into mainstream popular culture. "2001: A Space Odyssey" proved hugely influential.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!