Tidbinbilla construction

By November 1963, the power building was completed and the operations building was under construction.

Jan Delgado took these next three photos in December 1963.

In December 1963, Jan Delgado and her parents travelled on holiday from DSS-41 at Island Lagoon to Canberra. Not surprisingly, they took time to visit the site of DSS-42 under construction. This is the road in.

Large, Larger. Photo: Jan Delgado.

December 1963, Tidbinbilla is under construction, as seen from the access road. The Powerhouse, just to the right of the large tree at centre, is standing. The steel frame for the Operations Building is just visible. Construction of the antenna has not yet begun.

Large, Larger. Photo: Jan Delgado.

December 1963, Tidbinbilla Operations Building under construction.

Photo taken from just past the location of the current visitors’ centre.

Large, Larger. Photo: Jan Delgado.

Here’s the view from almost the same spot in September 2017.

Photo: Colin Mackellar.

Because of delays in the delivery of antenna components, erection of the antenna did not begin until July 1964. *

31 July 1964.

Large, Larger.

Photo via Mike Dinn. Scan: Colin Mackellar.

The DSS-42 dish and Operations Building (right) are under construction when a Royal Australian Air Force Bell Huey stops by. Probably 14th August 1964.

Two Hueys were used to scout out a site for the Apollo station which was built at Honeysuckle Creek. (See further below.)

Large, Larger. Photo: Dick Collins.

10 September 1964.

Large, Larger.

Photo via Mike Dinn. Scan: Colin Mackellar.

The completed 85 foot (26 metre) antenna of DSS-42.

Large, Larger.

Photo via Mike Dinn. Scan: Colin Mackellar.

For comparison, the above view with the helicopter is similar to this one taken in 1965 when the station was completed.
Provided by Les Whaley, scanned by Mike Dinn.

Two Hueys head out from Tidbinbilla in the direction of Honeysuckle Creek.

Dick Collins’ boss Lance Sharp and NASA rep. Hugh Fletcher were passengers in the chopper from which this photo was taken.

Photo: Dick Collins.

Here’s another photo, apparently from the same flight,
14th August 1964.

Photo via Mike Dinn. Scan, Colin Mackellar.

Bob Leslie also writes:

The first task was to work with John Gaibraith of Space Track on plans to staff the station, for equipment installation and for the first operations.

At the request of JPL, a team of engineers and technicians from the station spent the first half of 1964 at NASA’s Goldstone Deep Space Station in California,, becoming familiar with the techniques involved in the Deep Space Network and in assisting to assemble and test the electronic equipment destined for Tidbinbilla.

Subsequently, the same group carried out the main work of installing and commissioning the equipment at Tidbinbilla in good time to take over support for Mariner 4 from Island Lagoon in late 1964. This cooperative exercise resulted in excellent working relationships between the US and Australian engineers and so became the model for most of the development that followed in the deep space programme in Australia and elsewhere.

The brand new DSS-42 antenna at Tidbinbilla, 1965.

This was a 25.9 m diameter parabaloid antenna on a polar mount, driven in hour-angle and declination, as for astronomical telescopes.

The antenna was erected by the US Blaw Knox Company on foundations by Australian builder A.V. Jennings.

Photo provided by Les Whaley, scanned by Mike Dinn.

Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communication Complex
Photo taken in 1965.

Provided by Les Whaley, scanned by Mike Dinn.
Large, Larger (3.9MB).

Aerial view of the DSS-42 antenna and the Tidbinbilla operations building, circa 1964.

Provided by John Heath. Large. Larger (3.3MB).

1966

At the main gate of Deep Space Instrumentation Facility No. 42
(also known as Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communication Complex)