Latest Space News - Echoes of Apollo

The NASA Moon TV Dish to be Welded in Place.

The Australian Dish that brought the world the first footsteps on the moon is to be stripped of all electronics and servos and welded in the Stow position by “cash strapped” NASA. They have really looked at where they could get the budget, but found only enough that it was prepared to keep the historic icon as a static exhibit for those visiting the site near Canberra, Australia’s capital.

Although this is a good alternative to turning it into srap metal, this not a good outcome for this valuable icon, but it is all NASA can afford.

A group has been formed to try to save the dish as an operational facility to be an inspiration for students. This comes at a time when the government has formed a space group tasked with stimulating students to see space as a viable career path. Keeping the dish operational in a mode that allows remote access by students means that it is both a study tool and a massive opportunity to use the same systems that were so important for the moon missions.

The Group is Save our Space-comms Systems (SOSS) and is a global group that will be setting up “Not for Profit” groups in different countries to try and rescue retired infrastructure and keep them operational in a mentoring and educational capacity.

Below is a letter to the minister for Communications in Australia

Regards, Robert Brand   02 9572 7246 or (mobile) 0451 563 841   or    Int’l:   +61 2 9572 7246 or +(mobile/cell) +61 451 563 841

Robert.brand@echoesofapollo.com

http://echoesofapollo.com

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Hon Kim Carr,

I was advised yesterday by NASA that the historic Honeysuckle Creek dish – currently known as antenna “46” is to be saved as a static display by NASA. Although this is a very important gesture by NASA it falls far short of the level this dish deserves.

This dish provided the world the first TV images of Apollo 11 on the moon. It would be an absolute loss to the world and especially Australia if this dish was stripped of its electronics and servos and was welded in the horizontal (stow) position.

At a time that we are desperately trying to find ways of stimulating our kids to invest in science, I see this facility as an inspirational icon that would promote science and foster a strong interest in space if it was refurbished and made available to schools. The dish belongs to NASA, but its importance to Australia and the world is of paramount importance. As a static display at NASA’s deep space site in Tidbinbilla, it would be a nice asset to show visitors. As a working system, it would serve as both a display for NASA and a science tool for students with the add inspirational of being the Apollo 11 TV dish.

The reason for NASA turning the dish into a static display is simple – the cost of maintaining the dish. I am writing to you to ask NASA for a delay in carrying out these modifications while my group explores financial arrangements to fund the refurbishment and operation of the facility. NASA’s schedule for the changes is very short and in the order of 2-4 weeks. By 4-8 weeks, irreversible damage will be done and the dish will be permanently disabled. The refurbishment will cost many millions of dollars and another million dollars or more to operate the system each year.

I will be seeking global support from people to save this site and urge the minister to request time from NASA to protect this facility while we try and save the site as a productive facility.

Regards, Robert Brand

Events Manager

Echoes of Apollo

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Deep Space Station DSS 46

Constructed: Originally constructed in 1965 at the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station for the Apollo missions, this antenna received the first images of Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon. In 1983 it was relocated to Tidbinbilla and modified. The X-Y configuration and small dish size allow it to move rapidly, making it ideal for tracking near-Earth spacecraft.
Axes Configuration: X-Y
Reflector Size: 26 metres
Height: 35 metres
Transmitting Bands: S band (2025–2120 MHz)
Receiving Bands: X band (8400–8500 MHz) S band (2200–2300 MHz)
Reflector Accuracy: within 1.2 mm
Pointing Accuracy: within 0.1°
Turning Rate: 5° per second but limited to 3° per second
High Wind Parameters: Stow at steady winds of 72km/h or gusts at or above 88km/h Design maximum survivable 160km/h