'To the Stars' 75th Anniversary Recognized by The International Association of Science-Fiction and Fantasy Authors

The International Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors Celebrates the 75th Anniversary of "To the Stars" by L. Ron Hubbard.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, May 5, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Craig Martelle, Chairman of the IASFA (International Association of Science-Fiction and Fantasy Authors), presented a framed recognition to the Vice President of Public Affairs Author Services, Inc., Emily Goodwin, honoring the 75th anniversary of L. Ron Hubbard’s "To the Stars," earlier this year at the base of Cheyenne Mountain, where an underground Space Force installation resides.

Published in 1950, "To the Stars" was the first novel to address the Einstein-Lorentz-Fitzgerald time-dilation equation. Thus, it developed a new subgenre of science fiction and, as John Campbell, the editor of Astounding Science Fiction, proclaimed, “a beautiful development of the theme based on the time-rate differential of ships traveling near the speed of light.”

In his letter, Martelle stated, “Some of the longest-lasting stories came from pulp fiction authors. Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard and L. Ron Hubbard. Titans of the industry whose legacy lives on.” "To the Stars" was re-released over five decades later in 2004, whereupon Alan Cheuse of NPR’s All Things Considered stated, “Hubbard was one of the country’s most prolific pulp science fiction writers, and this book is one of his best.” While Entertainment Weekly proclaimed, “The story is still pertinent today.”

L. Ron Hubbard, in his introduction to "Battlefield Earth," wrote, “In 1945 I attended a meeting of old scientist and science fiction friends. The meeting was at the home of my dear friend, the incomparable Bob Heinlein. And do you know what was their agenda? How to get man into space fast enough so that he would be distracted from further wars on Earth.” And so it was that novels like "To the Stars" were written.

Later novels published with a similar theme of time dilation, interstellar travel, and the human cost of exploration include "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman, "Time for the Stars" by Robert A. Heinlein, "A Deepness in the Sky" by Vernor Vinge, "A World out of Time" by Larry Niven, and "Gateway" by Frederik Pohl.

As humanity pursues its quest to colonize Mars and civilian spaceflight becomes the norm, it will be stories like "To the Stars" and those mentioned above that will influence new authors to write those as yet untold stories to inspire future generations.

The IASFA was created to support the professional development of Science Fiction and Fantasy authors through shared opportunities, camaraderie, and targeted philanthropy. Its goal is to build an organization that focuses on bringing stories to an SFF-loving readership through improved business practices.

Craig Martelle is the Chairman of the International Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors (IASFA). He is a US Marine Corps veteran, a lawyer, and a business consultant who has sold over a million books in science fiction and fantasy. He works daily to grow the IASFA membership, which boasts nearly 1,000 members.

For more information on IASFA, visit IASFA.org.

Visit GalaxyPress.com for more information on L. Ron Hubbard’s fiction works.

John Goodwin
Galaxy Press
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