Mariner IV Preparations

Here are photos taken during and after Tidbinbilla’s first official track of Mariner IV, as it was en route to Mars.

A tense moment during Tidbinbilla’s first official track of Mariner IV, January 1965.

From Left to right: (or roll your mouse over the image to see the names pop up.)

Les Whaley – Analog console – left edge of photo, wearing glasses
Bob Cudmore – Instrumentation Section Leader – hand on chin
Jack Rothwell – Antenna Engineer – seated, holding sheet of paper
Peter Papps – Magnetic recording – seated in background
John Heath – Microwave Engineer – standing
Bob Leslie – Station Director – seated at Ops Console
Neil McVicar – Receiver Technician – standing
Paddy Johnstone – Ops Controller – seated at Ops Console
Dave Watts – Antenna Technician – seated in foreground
Mel Glenn – JPL Rep – seated at Console.

Larger, Largest. With thanks to John Heath for the photo and description.

Station Director Bob Leslie addresses the team after their first operational track of Mariner 4. Around March 1965.

Large, Larger. Photo preserved by Mike Dinn, scan Colin Mackellar.

Here’s a key to the above photo.

This photo was taken at the same meeting – in this one Brian Harris (with pipe) is visible third from left, and Geoff Rose is standing at far right.

Large, Larger. Photo preserved and scanned by Keith Brockelsby.

And yet another view – this scan courtesy of Glen Nagle at CDSCC.

Large, Larger.

Another angle on the same meeting.

Large, Larger. Photo preserved and scanned by Bruce Window.

Here’s a key to the above photo.

DSS-42 Operations during the first track of Mariner IV, January 1965. Taken same time as photos above.

Jack Rothwell, standing at left. Bob Leslie and Paddy Johnstone seated, Tony Saville the Comms supervisor, Bob Cudmore at right.

Scan: Mike Dinn. Photo from Clive Jones via John Heath.

Les Whaley at the Analog Instrumentation System’s chart recorder.

Scan: Les Whaley.