Orroral - Frames from The Vital Link

Orroral Valley – frames from The Vital Link

Frames from The Vital Link

In 1966, the film The Vital Link was produced for the Goddard Space Flight Center by Charles Gallagher.

In 2008, while searching in the US Archives, Mark Gray of Spacecraft Films found some colour footage of Orroral that was shot for the film but not used.

Here are some frames from his film transfer – and also some screenshots with names added by Philip Clark.

The road down into Orroral Valley.

The flashing red light stops cars when operations are in progress.

The 85' dish and Operations Building – taken from the cherrypicker.

Philip Clark has sent these screenshots with identification.

Jim Fenwick and Ron Milton.

Dave Richards, Jim Fenwick and Hugh Cocking.

Tony McEvilly and Hugh Cocking.

Jim Fenwick, Bill Brear, Ted Peppercorn.

Ted Peppercorn, Lou Cotrell, Tom Reid (STADIR), Sid Hurst (?).

Tom Reid, Sid Hurst (?).

Bill Howard.

Peter Wedd (?).

Roger Stacey, George Riddell.

Jim Balthazzar.