[amsat-bb] Re: Earthrise - add

[Edward Cole]

At 04:25 AM 12/25/2008, Joe Fitzgerald wrote:
>Rocky Jones wrote:
> > I think that the first black and white photo of Earthrise over 
> the Moon...was from one of the Lunar Orbiters... I think 5...
> >
> >
> >
>There was a nice story recently about a recent restoration of that photo
>...http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-111408a.html
>
>-Joe KM1P
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I am amazed at times how my own past resurfaces.

One of my duties at Goldstone from 1974-1976 was to manage the tape 
backup for data received from spacecraft like the Voyagers and 
Pioneers that flew by Jupiter, Saturn (and the outer planets after my 
time), and other missions.  It was sort of an unwanted task handed 
off on me.  But I took it serious and devised a record system to keep 
track of when they were recorded and so they would be retained for 
the required time period.  These were backups as the prime data had 
been transmitted to the mission scientist.  These were held a minimum 
of 30-days in case of any bad data in the originals.  I started 
stacking them in an unused office but in time they ended up in the 
climate-controlled "basement" of the 64m DSS-14 Control 
Building.  They ended up being kept much longer than 30-days.  I'm 
guessing these reel tapes were made by the same recorder as mentioned 
in the article.  Isn't it fantastic that the old Lunar tapes were 
recoverable!  2009 will be my 30th anniversary of leaving Jet 
Propulsion Lab to move to Alaska...tempis fugit!

The, then new, Hydrogen Maser Master Clock was installed in this same 
room.  It was used for precise timing of VLBI experiments, which 
previously required calibration by the famous "flying clock" or the 
x-band Moon Bounce timing system (ask Dick, K6HIJ).  Not only 
Goldstone, but Madrid, and Canberra stations required to be on the 
same accurate time (ask Tom Clark about that).

As the New Year approaches we reflect on the past.  Thanks to those 
who recently found those articles.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year!
73, Ed Cole - KL7UW (& Janet)