Seminar Apollo and the ACT: Why Did It Happen Here?
Title: Apollo and the ACT: Why Did It Happen Here?
When: Wednesday, 2 April 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Venue: Building 15 Room 154 ANCDF at UNSW Canberra ADFA campus
(This is a hybrid event – you can join either online or in person. Registration is not required.)
Speaker: Mr John Saxion
Abstract:
In this engaging talk, John Saxon draws on his decades of experience working with NASA to explain how Canberra came to play a pivotal role in the Apollo missions. Discover why Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon were broadcast to the world from the Honeysuckle Creek tracking station—not from the more widely known Parkes dish. With behind-the-scenes stories, technical insights, and personal reflections, John reveals how and why the ACT became a crucial part of space history.
John Saxon was born in Pinner, England, and spent his early years amidst the turmoil of World War II, including evacuation to Wales and experiencing the London Blitz. He left school at 16 to pursue an engineering apprenticeship with Marconi Instruments, eventually working on advanced projects like Blue Steel missile trials in Australia. John emigrated to Australia in 1966 and began a remarkable 32-year career supporting NASA missions at Honeysuckle Creek, Tidbinbilla, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, contributing to Apollo, Viking, and Voyager programs. After retiring in 1998, he remained active in the tech community, volunteering with the Canberra PC Users Group. A devoted family man, John now enjoys a quiet life in Canberra with his wife, surrounded by their large and growing family.
This seminar is a joint initiative of the UNSW Canberra Space Education Program and the IEEE AESS ACT Chapter.
For any inquiries, please contact Dr. Lily Qiao (l.qiao@unsw.edu.au), Senior Lecturer at UNSW Canberra and Chair of the IEEE AESS ACT Chapter. Alternatively, you may reach out to Mr. Peter Wishart (peter.wishart@ieee.org), Vice Chair of the IEEE AESS ACT Chapter.
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- Canberrra
- Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
- Australia 2600
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- Co-sponsored by IEEE AESS ACT