The Manned Space Flight Network, run by the Goddard Space Flight Center, was a sophisticated global network, for both voice and telemetry, linked by NASCOM, NASA’s Communications Network.

The weakest links in the chain were the High Frequency radio links to remote sites such as the tracking ships, and places like Tananarive, Madagascar.

In these clips, recorded in one session during Gemini IV, the Houston Comm Tech and Goddard Voice Control are working through air / ground remoting checks.

Before satellite links were routinely available (and long before fibre-optic cable!), running such a global network was a remarkable achievement.

Audio is courtesy of John Stoll at the Johnson Space Center. Selected and edited by Colin Mackellar.

File 1

2.8MB

7 min 51 sec

Kano, Nigeria.

File 2

850kb

2 min 23 sec

Tananarive, Madagascar.

File 3

3.3MB

9 min 07 sec

Canton Island, West Pacific.

File 4

1.3MB

3 min 32 sec

Canton Island, West Pacific.

File 5

600kb

1 min 38 sec

California Tracking Station.