3001: The Final Odyssey (Arthur C. Clarke)

Chapter 16: Asteroid 7794

See Chapter 18 of "2001: A Space Odyssey" for the description of the probe's impact. Precisely such an experiment is now being planned for the forthcoming Clementine 2 mission.

I am a little embarrassed to see that in my first Space Odyssey the discovery of Asteroid 7794 was attributed to the Lunar Observatory - in 1997! Well, I'll move it to 2017 - in time for my 100th birthday.

Just a few hours after writing the above, I was delighted to learn that Asteroid 4923 (1981 EO27), discovered by S. J. Bus at Siding Spring, Australia, on 2 March 1981, has been named Clarke, partly in recognition of Project Spaceguard (see "Rendezvous with Rama" and "The Hammer of God"). I was informed, with profound apologies, that owing to an unfortunate oversight Number 2001 was no longer available, having been allocated to somebody named A. Einstein. Excuses, excuses.

But I was very pleased to learn that Asteroid 5020, discovered on the same day as 4923, has been named Asimov - though saddened by the fact that my old friend could never know.