Dear Space Advocate:

I am contacting you at the request of Tim Kyger, whom many of you
know from many space-related activities. In his "spare" time, Tim
is Chairman of the Heinlein Centennial, a commemoration of Robert A.
Heinlein's life and influence that will be held on July 6-7-8, 2007,
in Kansas City Missouri. There will be exhibits, tours, art, sales,
and programming in three principal tracks--general science fiction,
academic Heinleinia, and space. A birthday celebration, the Gala,
is planned for Saturday, July 7, 2007, Heinlein's 100th birthday.
Several guests have already committed to attend, including the head
of NASA, Dr. Michael Griffin; astronaut and moon-walker Dr. Buzz
Aldrin; the first winner of the $500,000 Heinlein Prize for
Accomplishments in Commercial Space Activities, Dr. Peter Diamandis;
and (through video link) Heinlein's most illustrious contemporary,
Sir Arthur C. Clarke. Details can be found at the Centennial
website: www.HeinleinCentennial.com.

It is no exaggeration to say Heinlein was the most influential
science fiction author of the mid-20th century, but his influence
extends to this day far beyond the literary. I had the fortune to
meet him a handful of times. I recall him once saying he had
several filing cabinet drawers of letters from the three full
generations of his readers who had come of age during his writing
career. Though himself childless, these "children of Heinlein" had
written to him to say they had become scientists, engineers, and the
like because they were influenced by his writing to enter such
fields. Heinlein obviously thought being the sui generis of this
nucleus of future technologists was his greatest contribution to
humanity. He was a fierce advocate and believer that our human
species would, inevitably, venture into space. At one time or
another, his book "Starship Troopers" has been on the required
reading list of all three service academies. In recognition of
Heinlein's influence on readers who would later become aerospace
engineers and scientists, the NASA Medal for Distinguished Public
Service was awarded to him posthumously in 1988. There is a Robert
A. Heinlein Chair in Aerospace Engineering at the Naval Academy as
well.

Tim has asked me to contact a number of space-related websites to
request the following of you:
(1) To encourage your attendance and participation at the
Centennial.
(2) Mention the Heinlein Centennial on your website, and link
to the Centennial website.
(3) "Virally" mention the Heinlein Centennial to anybody else
you might think of or be in contact with.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I hope you can
participate, and please contact me for further information or
questions. I can be reached at kgkato@....

Yours truly,
Keith G. Kato