This is one of the first sights which greeted us as we drove into Carnarvon over three months ago.
This huge dish of the now defunct OTC communications station stands proud on the crest of Browns Range, the row of low hills just east of the township.
It also welcomes those travelling in on the North-West Highway from points north of Carnarvon, but here the view shows that it is not alone.
There is almost no spot in town from which 'The Dish' cannot be seen including the south-east corner of our home here at The Plantation.
This huge dish of the now defunct OTC communications station stands proud on the crest of Browns Range, the row of low hills just east of the township.
It also welcomes those travelling in on the North-West Highway from points north of Carnarvon, but here the view shows that it is not alone.
There is almost no spot in town from which 'The Dish' cannot be seen including the south-east corner of our home here at The Plantation.
This impressive piece of engineering and construction stands as a monument to, and constant reminder of, the critical role Carnarvon played in allowing the Americans to fulfil President John Kennedy's pledge to put a man on the moon.
What is the story and what is left? The answer to the first question is the subject of this missive whilst the response to the second is.....very little. Let's begin with some history.
The NASA funded Carnarvon space tracking station was actually the result of geography. The small, remote township on the Western Australian coast was in a perfect position on the surface of the earth from which to maintain contact with the orbit of planned US space vehicles as they crossed over this part of the globe.
Carnarvon was 'on the map', and indeed the world stage. I can actually still remember the initial announcements and general excitement which accompanied them. For me, the Carnarvon Space Tracking Station was another of those remote mystical places in the Australian bush something akin to the North-West Cape, and later, the Pine Gap tracking and transmission facilities. The technicalities and real functions were way beyond me but nevertheless created an air of excitement in my imagination. At least the Carnarvon facility did not attract the attention of the long haired loony left and assorted peaceniks of the 60's and 70's who so misguidedly raged against the potential of the military facilities to attract a nuclear strike from the then USSR.
The Carnarvon facility was built in 1963 initially to support the American 'Gemini programme', the second stage of NASA's endeavours to fulfil Kennedy's vow. It later played a critical role in the 'Apollo Project' which culminated in the first lunar landing.
In it's heyday this was a large complex. It covered 259 hectares. With the decommissioning of the site, the vast majority of the equipment was removed. As is obvious, I have again had to rely on photographs lifted from the Internet to provide the whole picture (sorry!).
This shot shows the layout of the entire station with the locations of the various radar and communications towers and other essentials such as the 'in house' power station, the staff quarters, recreation facilities etc, etc.
The original access road carried a reminder of the connection with the USA....the sign post was 'borrowed' from a Texas Highway.
It remains to this day as an exhibit in the local Space Museum.
The technical equipment used at the Carnarvon station included a satellite tracking facility, a Solar Particle Alert Network and the FPQ-6 precision tracking radar (pictured). This extraordinary piece of kit could pin point the position of an orbiting satellite or space capsule within 6 feet over a distance of 32,000 nautical miles. What stunning accuracy.
All in all, the Carnarvon Tracking Station was the largest of its kind outside the USA. Because of its position on the earth, it was used to uplink the trans-lunar injection command and was critical in monitoring the last hours of vehicle re-entry.
In 1966 the need for more direct and consistent communications between Carnarvon and the NASA command base in Houston, Texas, resulted in the establishment of the OTC Satellite Earth Station on the tracking station site, complete with its odd looking Casshorn antenna. Without going into all the technical blurb, this 12.8 metre wide 'sugar scoop' dish was shaped as it is to concentrate the energy of the transmitted signals.
What is the story and what is left? The answer to the first question is the subject of this missive whilst the response to the second is.....very little. Let's begin with some history.
The NASA funded Carnarvon space tracking station was actually the result of geography. The small, remote township on the Western Australian coast was in a perfect position on the surface of the earth from which to maintain contact with the orbit of planned US space vehicles as they crossed over this part of the globe.
Carnarvon was 'on the map', and indeed the world stage. I can actually still remember the initial announcements and general excitement which accompanied them. For me, the Carnarvon Space Tracking Station was another of those remote mystical places in the Australian bush something akin to the North-West Cape, and later, the Pine Gap tracking and transmission facilities. The technicalities and real functions were way beyond me but nevertheless created an air of excitement in my imagination. At least the Carnarvon facility did not attract the attention of the long haired loony left and assorted peaceniks of the 60's and 70's who so misguidedly raged against the potential of the military facilities to attract a nuclear strike from the then USSR.
The Carnarvon facility was built in 1963 initially to support the American 'Gemini programme', the second stage of NASA's endeavours to fulfil Kennedy's vow. It later played a critical role in the 'Apollo Project' which culminated in the first lunar landing.
In it's heyday this was a large complex. It covered 259 hectares. With the decommissioning of the site, the vast majority of the equipment was removed. As is obvious, I have again had to rely on photographs lifted from the Internet to provide the whole picture (sorry!).
This shot shows the layout of the entire station with the locations of the various radar and communications towers and other essentials such as the 'in house' power station, the staff quarters, recreation facilities etc, etc.
The original access road carried a reminder of the connection with the USA....the sign post was 'borrowed' from a Texas Highway.
It remains to this day as an exhibit in the local Space Museum.
The technical equipment used at the Carnarvon station included a satellite tracking facility, a Solar Particle Alert Network and the FPQ-6 precision tracking radar (pictured). This extraordinary piece of kit could pin point the position of an orbiting satellite or space capsule within 6 feet over a distance of 32,000 nautical miles. What stunning accuracy.
All in all, the Carnarvon Tracking Station was the largest of its kind outside the USA. Because of its position on the earth, it was used to uplink the trans-lunar injection command and was critical in monitoring the last hours of vehicle re-entry.
In 1966 the need for more direct and consistent communications between Carnarvon and the NASA command base in Houston, Texas, resulted in the establishment of the OTC Satellite Earth Station on the tracking station site, complete with its odd looking Casshorn antenna. Without going into all the technical blurb, this 12.8 metre wide 'sugar scoop' dish was shaped as it is to concentrate the energy of the transmitted signals.
Amongst many of its functions, this piece of equipment was used to relay the images of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon. I am sure this remains as one of those defining moments in the lives of all of us who were old enough to know what was going on. I can clearly remember scurrying out of the Vice Squad office at Police HQ and joining the burgeoning throng gathered outside a nearby TV shop where a large screen (for the day) had been set up in the front window.
The antenna which now sits on the crest of Browns Range overlooking Carnarvon is the last remaining example of a Casshorn antenna in the world. Apart from its involvement with the space programme, this antenna was also used to transmit the first live telecast between Australia and the UK when, on 25 November 1966, the ABC set up and operated an outside broadcast operation in the main street of Carnarvon.
In late 1969 the 29.8 metre wide 'dish' was built to enhance the transmitting capacity of the OTC facility. This 'Internet' shot give some idea of the comparative sizes of both.
It is this large dish which now dominates the Carnarvon skyline. It is huge. Liz looked tiny as she climbed the stairs to the viewing platform at the top of the base.
As I mentioned earlier, these two antennae are all that remain of the many used during the operation of the tracking station. Fortunately, and to their credit, a group of Carnarvon locals was determined to preserve what they could when the station was decommissioned. They banded together and established the Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum in which visitors can gain a real insight into the operation of the tracking station.
If there was ever any doubt as to the importance of the role of the Carnarvon tracking station in the US programme to put a man on the moon, the fact that Phase one of the museum was officially opened in 2012 by none other than Buzz Aldrin, the second human being to step onto the moon, puts paid to that.
We visited the museum as it was when we first arrived in the town where we found an array of old pieces of equipment from smallish
to large
and even a piece which apparently remains a mystery in terms of its original use.
A plethora of displays such as this provides a real insight into the functions of the various pieces of equipment used at the station.
The museum also caters for the less technically minded with its collection of space related odds and ends such as this piece of space junk which was found near Morawa (of recent wildflower fame) in September 1965. After indentifying it as a pressure vessel from the Gemini V Titan launch vehicle, NASA returned the item to the Carnarvon museum for display in what I consider is another example of the significance of the tracking station to the Americans.
During the earlier part of our Carnarvon sojourn we became aware that a new museum building was in the latter stages of development and that it was to be officially opened on 20 September by none other than our own home grown Adelaide astronaut, Andy Thomas. I was peeved....Liz's contract was due to expire two weeks before this event and we were to be on our way south.
And then fate intervened. Liz was asked to stay on until mid October. I was off like a shot to shell out the required $55 per ticket and confirm our places at the 'Meet Andy Thomas cocktail party' to be held on Friday 19 September. Would I actually get to meet the man himself?
The due date arrived. We made an effort and tarted up for the occasion. Liz was particularly resplendent in her 'little red number'.
The finger food kept coming
whilst a rather oddly space suited band from Perth banged away with an equally odd selection of 'space' music.
Queues formed at the outside bar where we were all eager to make sure we did not miss out on the one 'free' drink which came with the price of admission. I was more fortunate than most....Liz was driving....I managed two complimentary beverages of mediocre quality.
The crowd continued to build
and then, sure enough, the guest of honour had arrived and was on stage. Even the somewhat sceptical Liz admitted later that Andy's presentation, accompanied by what, in many instances were virtual 'home movies' of his various trips into space (four in all), was a cracker.
Question time followed...I was determined to get my money's worth and eagerly grasped the mike from the wandering local TV presenter. I was even cheeky enough to preface my query with "as one Adelaide boy to another". Pretty crass, I know, but bugger it, for $55 I was out to milk the occasion for all I could.
But did I achieve the real objective of our mission? You bet I did!
Our chat was brief. Andy was about to be whisked off to the bar area and a confab with members of the original tracking crew and others. But I didn't care.....I had actually met a bloke for whom I have long held intense admiration, and it has nothing to do with the fact that he is from the old home town!
I decided against joining the crowds at the official opening of the new museum, but did visit a few days later. The large new building which is nestled between the Casshorn
and dish antennae
is still something of a work in progress as I discovered when attempting to read some of the exhibit placards in what seemed overly dim light. My enquiry at the desk confirmed that lighting was still being installed.
But whatever the teething problems with some of the exhibit areas, this new complex is home to a new theatrette where wonderfully informative presentations can be viewed in complete comfort.
I was particularly taken by the way in which the five minute gap between each presentation was 'counted down'. How very clever!
All that we had seen in the old museum was on display, together with a few additions. I have decided against reeling off an endless stream of photos, but could not resist including this one. As the accompanying note explains, these are computer tapes which were used in the OTC Earth Sat Station. As well as noting that the data stored on these would collectively now fit on a USB thumb drive, it also posed the question.....if these are the tapes, how large was the computer? A good question indeed.
Apart from the technical displays, quite a deal of space is given over to presentations of photos and other memorabilia which provide a snapshot (pun intended!) of the life of the tracking staff all those years ago.
It was pretty evident that despite the demands of their jobs and the challenges of the isolation of Carnarvon in the late 60's, the tracking station staff led a varied social life and made the most of what was on offer in the district. Many of these men attended the cocktail party and opening of the new museum as official guests. What a hoot that must have been for them.
The volunteer group in charge of this new museum are a determined lot, and I suspect that this local attraction will go from strength to strength. It should. Let's hope those involved receive the kind of government support they richly deserve. The importance of Carnarvon's (and Australia's) crucial role in the space race should never be forgotten.
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