Subscribe now

Letter: Letters: Amputee in the sky

Published 9 March 1991

From ARTHUR C CLARKE

I was very interested in Mike Rogers’s article ‘The case for an amputee
astronaut’ (Forum, 2 February). I made exactly the same points 40 years
ago in Islands in the Sky: ‘He’d been quite an athlete, it seemed, so the
loss of his legs must have been an even bigger blow to him than to most
men. It was obvious why he had come to the Station-it was the only place
where he wouldn’t be a cripple. Indeed, thanks to his powerfully developed
arms, he was probably the most agile man in the Station.’

Arthur C. Clarke Colombo Sri Lanka

Issue no. 1759 published 9 March 1991

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop