The NBN and Buzz Aldrin

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Many don't understand the NBN or appreciate its enormouss scope, so I thought some here might find this an interesting read

Buzz Aldrin over the moon about NBN satellites
01 October 2012


Giant leap in communications for outback Australia
Western Australia has been selected as the location for three new satellite ground stations to help Australians in isolated areas connect to high speed broadband.

The facilities in Geraldton, Carnarvon and Kalgoorlie will act as essential transmission centres to deliver services over the National Broadband Network to outback communities across the state and across the nation.

They will also provide a boost to the local economies when construction begins next year. An estimated 20-30 construction workers will be required to build each of the facilities, which have received the support of civic leaders (see below).

The NBN is a vital national infrastructure project that plans to connect every home and business in Australia to high speed broadband via fibre optic cable, fixed wireless and satellite within the next decade.

The news was welcomed half a world away by American astronaut Buzz Aldrin. In a previous incarnation, the Carnarvon site played an important role in providing reliable and high quality communications for NASA's manned space flight programme and the Apollo moon landings.

“I was told this was on the cards when I visited Carnarvon in July to open the town's Space and Technology Museum,” said Dr. Aldrin.

“I think it’s just wonderful that Carnarvon will soon be reviving its historic links with space with the launch of a National Broadband Network satellite base station. The revitalisation of a site that played such a central role in NASA’s Apollo missions will prepare people in the Australian outback for the next frontier in communications via the National Broadband Network.”

Dr. Mal Bryce, chairman of the WA scientific and research organisation iVEC, said:

“High speed, robust and ubiquitous broadband is an absolute prerequisite for the most isolated parts of WA. The NBN’s satellite service represents a lifeline for people in regional and remote areas. It will ensure they have access to economic and social opportunities that the rest of us take for granted.”

The NBN’s Interim Satellite Service is already delivering reliable, high-speed broadband to more than 10,000 homes, farms and businesses in rural and remote parts of Australia, offering wholesale download speeds of up to 6 Mbps.*

The new satellite ground stations will support the NBN’s Long Term Satellite Service, which is expected to begin operating in 2015. Two NBN communications satellites are currently under construction and will deliver wholesale speeds of up to 12Mbps.*

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... to get anything in this world and move into the future, hey, ya gotta have a go!

Exciting stuff

Mike

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Nice one, thanks for the info
It's so easy to take this sort of thing for granted which is difficult to get out in the bush.
BTW, not sure if the Carnarvon tracking station was the one featured in the film "The Right Stuff" which was about the Mercury program, however there's a scene where astronaut Gordon Cooper travels to an Australian tracking station to assist with John Glenn's orbit.

[gary]

Originally Posted by lacad01

Nice one, thanks for the info
It's so easy to take this sort of thing for granted which is difficult to get out in the bush.
BTW, not sure if the Carnarvon tracking station was the one featured in the film "The Right Stuff" which was about the Mercury program, however there's a scene where astronaut Gordon Cooper travels to an Australian tracking station to assist with John Glenn's orbit.

Hi Adam,

The tracking station used during the Mercury program was Muchea, which operated
until 1964 and then was replaced by Carnarvon which was built for the Gemini program
in 1963.

So in the soundtrack recording of conversations between Cooper and Glenn,
Cooper was at Muchea and this is also depicted in the movie, "The Right Stuff".

Carnarvon then operated until 1970 so it has an important history. Great to see
the site will enter an important new era.

Thanks for the story Mike.

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

My heart is all a-flutter over the NBN.
Or would be if it was coming our way.
The best answer I can get from the circus-monkies in Canberra is something on the order of "It'll get there, when it gets there. Maybe in 5 years or so if Telstra (the only service in the area), thinks it worth it".

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Originally Posted by gary

Hi Adam,

The tracking station used during the Mercury program was Muchea, which operated
until 1964 and then was replaced by Carnarvon which was built for the Gemini program
in 1963.

So in the soundtrack recording of conversations between Cooper and Glenn,
Cooper was at Muchea and this is also depicted in the movie, "The Right Stuff".

Carnarvon then operated until 1970 so it has an important history. Great to see
the site will enter an important new era.

Thanks for the story Mike.

Thanks for the info Gary

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by gary

Hi Adam,

The tracking station used during the Mercury program was Muchea, which operated
until 1964 and then was replaced by Carnarvon which was built for the Gemini program
in 1963.

So in the soundtrack recording of conversations between Cooper and Glenn,
Cooper was at Muchea and this is also depicted in the movie, "The Right Stuff".

Carnarvon then operated until 1970 so it has an important history. Great to see
the site will enter an important new era.

Thanks for the story Mike.

Now...how did I know you would be able to add to this story Gary

Mike