Videos

 

Here is the start of a page showing various videos I’ve recorded or put together or collected over the years – though I still have more to add (May 2022).

They are not in any particular order. Some of these videos also appear elsewhere on the site, but are collected here for your convenience.

Some browsers don’t like the frames used on this website – in which case, just click the link below the video to see the full screen version. – Colin Mackellar.

 

John Saxon’s first day at Honeysuckle Creek, October 1966.

Full screen version.

Also see the Opening Day section.


Honeysuckle Creek’s Opening Day, 17 March 1967.

Full screen version.

Also see the Opening Day section, including audio of the speeches.


Honeysuckle Creek construction – silent footage – 30 May 1966.

Full screen version.

This silent footage shows construction of the Honeysuckle Creek 85 foot (26 metre) Manned Space Flight Network antenna on 30 May 1966.

It was discovered by Mark Gray of Spacecraft Films. Aspect ratio correction by Colin Mackellar. (I have no idea why the film transfer was cropped as it is.)

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An Apollo Mission Profile – with Mike Dinn.

Full screen version.

Recorded at Questacon in July 2013.


Snapshots of life at Honeysuckle Creek –
with Hamish Lindsay and Bryan Sullivan.

Full screen version.

Recorded at Questacon in July 2013.



Start of the Apollo 11 EVA
with audio from Honeysuckle’s Alpha loop and Net 2.

Full screen version.

The start of the Apollo 11 EVA – with air/ground audio on the left channel and Honeysuckle Creek Alpha comms loop and Net 2 on the right channel.

Begins about 10 minutes before the TV starts and runs to 30 minutes into the EVA.

I originally produced this in 2004, at the suggestion of Mike Dinn for the Apollo 11 35th anniversary lunch in Canberra. It was distributed on DVD.

Mike had a 45 minute compact cassette tape of the Honeysuckle main comms loop (Alpha) mixed with Net 2 (the MSFN tracking station comms loop).

I synchronised it with the first 30 minutes of the TV, using the NASA film archive. I also added footage (of varying quality) and photos for the period before the TV comes on.

Many friends in Australia and the USA helped to identify all the speakers.

The Alpha and Net 2 audio could be a second or two out by the end of the video.

I have continued to use the NASA archive instead of the 2009 restored video as this is what the international TV audience saw on the day.

Here's the text I wrote to go with the original DVD in 2004 –

On July 21st 1969, thousands of people supported the Apollo 11 EVA – including those at Honeysuckle Creek and its wing at Tidbinbilla; Goldstone, Carnarvon, NASCOM in Deakin, Sydney OTC, the PMG and the Parkes Radio Telescope – as well as others behind the scenes in Houston and at Goddard.

While Fresnedillas (Madrid) could not see the EVA, it tracked the lunar landing and liftoff.

This DVD is a tribute to all these “unsung heroes”.

For the start of the EVA, Goldstone and Honeysuckle were in mutual view, however problems at Goldstone meant that the world saw the first step through Honeysuckle Creek.

Signals from Honeysuckle and Parkes were sent to Sydney Video where the best picture was selected for transmission to Houston and the world. The Parkes signal was selected 8’53” into the TV coverage when the Moon rose high enough for Parkes to send a stable TV picture.

On the day, the conversations on Net 2 (the NASA tracking station network) and Alpha (the Honeysuckle operations comms loop) were recorded by Bernard Scrivener, the departmental Admin officer.

For the first time, this audio has been synchronised with the first part of the video of this historic event and can be seen here.

 

Bill Wood from Goldstone Apollo remembers the Apollo 11 EVA.

Full screen version.

Bill Wood, Goldstone Apollo lead USB engineer, flew to Canberra for the Apollo 11 40th anniversary celebrations in 2009.

As we were setting up for the lunch on the day of the anniversary (21 July), Bill took a few moments to recall what happened at Goldstone.

 

Background to the Apollo 11 Moonwalk television broadcast.

Full screen version.

Who was receiving the television signal from Apollo 11 when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface?

This video provides some insight into one of the most-watched television events of the twentieth century – on Monday 21st July (Australian time) 1969.

I made this in 2006 to go on the "Moonwalks as seen at Honeysuckle Creek" DVD – with Super 8 footage shot by Ed von Renouard at Honeysuckle Creek and NASAS archive footage.

Since then, our Apollo 11 tape search found other recordings, and NASA funded a restoration using the best material.


The start of the Apollo 11 TV broadcast.

Full screen version.

Comparison of the 4 known recordings as at November 2006.


Fox Mason from Parkes remembers the Apollo 11 EVA.

Full screen version.

At the Apollo 11 45th anniversary lunch, Canberra, 21 July 2014, Fox Mason remembers what it was like at Parkes during the Apollo 11 EVA.

Neil “Fox” Mason was the Telescope Driver at the Parkes Radio Telescope.


Speeches at Honeysuckle Creek — 20th July 2009.

Full screen version.

The 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 was celebrated at a number of events in Canberra.

On the afternoon of 20th July 2009, space trackers, their families and supporters travelled to the Honeysuckle Creek site.

Introduced by John Saxon, Federal Senator Annette Hurley and Brendan Smyth, Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly, addressed the crowd.

Thanks to Geoff Crane for this footage.

Apollo 11 35th anniversary celebrations in Canberra – July 2004.

Full screen version.

On July 21 and 22 2004, space trackers, their families and friends met in Canberra for a lunch (at The Canberra Club), and travelled to the Honeysuckle Creek site and to Tidbinbilla.

This footage was shot by Hamish Lindsay and Colin Mackellar, edited by Colin Mackellar.

(This is an NTSC version on the video. When I find the PAL original, I'll swap that in.)


Speeches at Honeysuckle Creek — 20th July 2019.

Full screen version.

Some footage of a wonderful day at Honeysuckle Creek - Saturday 20th July 2019 - and the offical proceedings led by Andrew Tink.

Apologies for the shaky video. I didn't have a tripod with me, and hadn't been planning on publishing it.


Prince Felipe of Spain at Tidbinbilla.

Full screen version.

On 6th July 1990, Prince Felipe, the Crown Prince (and now King Felipe VI) of Spain visited the Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communication Complex.

He was greeted by Station Director Mike Dinn.

As well as being a record of the Prince’s visit, there are some glimpses into the layout of the Operations Area at Tidbinbilla in 1990.

Thanks to Mike Dinn for his VHS recording. Transferred by Colin Mackellar, 2018.


A Visit to the site of the former Island Lagoon Tracking Station.

Full screen version.

In 2019, Jan Delgado returned to the site of the Island Lagoon Tracking Station and recorded these clips.