Robert Lull Forward (August 15, 1932 – September 21, 2002) was an American physicist and science fiction writer. He was known for his scientifically credible literary works, integrating ideas from his career as an aerospace engineer.

Forward made significant contributions to gravitational wave detection research. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 1965, developing an antenna capable of detecting gravitational radiation. He dedicated his career to advanced physics at Hughes Aircraft's laboratories, continuing gravitational measurement research and exploring space propulsion concepts, from solar sails to antimatter propulsion. Some of Forward's groundbreaking propulsion ideas are now part of NASA experiments, like using Earth's magnetic field to change orbital vehicle trajectories.

By 1987, after receiving 18 patents, Forward retired from research to focus on writing science fiction. He is remembered as a prominent hard science fiction author, especially for his Cheela series, where he speculated on life forms inhabiting neutron stars. These works are celebrated for merging entertainment with scientific rigor, akin to Hal Clement's Misión de gravedad. Forward described them as "a textbook of neutron star physics, disguised as novels."