When Ben Bova puts ink to paper, worlds collide. Capability and possibility merge, bringing to life distant planets, medical miracles and a future brimming with limitless potential for all of humanity.

Next month, when Bova addresses scientists, thinkers and engineers at NASA's second "Turning Goals into Reality" conference, he won't just be talking about the future of aerospace transportation -- he may be helping to create it.

The conference, to be held May 18-19 at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will spotlight aerospace accomplishments by NASA and its industry partners and ponder the future of air and space transportation technology.

Bova, the author of more than 90 books and six-time recipient of the Hugo Science Fiction Achievement Award, will deliver the keynote address during an awards banquet at the Huntsville Marriott at 7:30 p.m. on May 18.

The conference will precede Marshall's Open House on May 20.

For more information on the "Turning Goals into Reality" conference, visit the Web site at: http://tgir.msfc.nasa.gov.

More About Ben Bova

Bova started writing fiction in the late 1940s while pursuing careers in aerospace, education and journalism. In his writings, he has predicted the 1960s space race, solar-powered satellites, electronic books, virtual reality, the "Star Wars" Strategic Defense Initiative, the discovery of water on the Moon and the discovery of life on Mars.

He remains a frequent radio and television commentator and lecturer. His novels, such as Venus, Moonrise and Mars, combine space adventure with the highest degree of scientific accuracy to explore the impact of future technologies on human beings and society. His nonfiction work illustrates how modern technology can be used to solve economic, social and political problems. His latest work of fiction, Venus, was released this month from Tor Books.

A past editor of Analog and Omni magazines, Bova also writes opinion pieces and book reviews for USA Today, and serves as president emeritus of the National Space Society.

Bova received a doctorate in education in 1996 from California Coast University, a master's in communications from the State University of New York at Albany in 1987, and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Temple University in 1954. He is a native of Philadelphia.

Bova is on the Web at: http://benbova.net.