On Eagles Wing: The Story of the Parkes Apollo 11 Support

Scenes in the control room



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(Front L-R): John Shimmins and Taffy Bowen watching the ABC broadcast on a small TV set. Behind Taffy is Harry Minnet partially obscured.

(Middle back): Peter Stevens leaning to the right and looking up.

(Back): John Bolton with back to camera and hands in pockets with the NASA personnel to his right. They're all viewing the real-time SSTV downlink.


Robert Taylor viewing the lunar EVA on the 10" SSTV monitor. Note the upside image which indicates the camera is still stowed in the MESA at this stage.

Taffy Bowen engrossed by proceedings. John Shimmins is writing on the desk with his back to camera. William Reytar and George Kropp are on the left.

1/2 inch Ampex tapes are piled on the desk with George Kropp ready to change the tapes every fifteen minutes (George is holding one in his right hand).


Taffy Bowen watching the Parkes Apollo 11 relay on the ABC during the EVA.

Milling around the SSTV monitor. Robert Taylor (with back to camera) is on the phone, and George Kropp is talking to someone on the right. This scene is most probably immediately after the EVA, when the tapes were replayed. Photos by Dave Cooke.

This is a replay of the Moonwalk photographed by Dave Cooke after the completion of the EVA. Note the Green and Black TV pictures. The monitor was a slow-scan-TV and had a persistent phosphor screen.