The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum will host "A Conversation with Sir Arthur C. Clarke" as the 2001 Wernher von Braun Memorial Lecture on Wednesday, June 6, at 8 p.m. in the museum's Langley IMAX® Theater.

Clarke, who created the world of "2001: A Space Odyssey," will speak from his home in Sri Lanka with a panel of guests assembled in the museum's theater. The panelists-former astronaut Eugene Cernan, writer Ben Bova and space historian Frederick Ordway III-will make their own presentations before the discussion.
Tickets for the program are available through tickets.com at (800) 529-2440 or on the Web at www.tickets.com. There is no charge from the Smithsonian but a small service charge of $2.50 from tickets.com will apply.

The 2001 Wernher von Braun Memorial Lecture is made possible through the support of the Goddard Contractors Association. The National Air and Space Museum, located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W., is open daily from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (Closed Christmas Day.) Admission is free.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke is perhaps best known for his collaboration with the late film director Stanley Kubrick in creating the epic film "2001: A Space Odyssey." Released in 1968 just months before the Apollo 11 moon landing, Kubrick and Clark's cinematic achievement helped shape public perception of our journey into space and made 2001-the year-an enduring cultural symbol. The author of more than 60 books and numerous articles, Clarke has inspired us to think about the meaning of the space age and its impact on our lives and culture. For his many accomplishments, Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II made Clarke a "knight of the realm" in May 2000.

Capt. Eugene Cernan, retired, U.S. Navy, remains-to quote the title of his memoirs-"The Last Man on the Moon." In December 1972 he commanded the final Apollo mission to the lunar surface. In leaving the last human footstep on another world, Cernan capped an astronaut career that included the second American walk in space and the "dress rehearsal" for the first moon landing. He is president and chief executive officer of the Cernan Corp., a space-related technology and marketing consulting firm. Cernan's presentation at the lecture is titled "Science Fiction Becomes Reality."

Dr. Ben Bova has offered a sweeping and richly detailed view of tomorrow in more than 90 futuristic novels and nonfiction works plus countless magazine and newspaper pieces. He predicted the space race, the Strategic Defense Initiative, solar-powered satellites and video games. Bova, an acclaimed commentator and lecturer, is president emeritus of the National Space Society and former president of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He was editor of Analog and Omni magazines and has been an adviser on such films as Woody Allen's "Sleeper." Bova's presentation at the lecture is titled "Arthur C. Clarke-A Writer's Vision."

Frederick Ordway III not only helped make space exploration a reality, but also saw the importance of preserving its history. As chief of the Space Information Systems branch of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., Ordway worked alongside Wernher von Braun and his rocket team as they built the vehicles that would take man beyond the limits of gravity. At the same time, Ordway began gathering and celebrating the documents, designs and artwork that in many cases foretold the future. He served as scientific and technical consultant to Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" and has written, co-written or edited some three dozen books along with numerous magazine and newspaper articles. Ordway's presentation at the lecture is titled "The Making of '2001: A Space Odyssey."