r Renzetti had photos of the various stations displayed along the corridors at JPL.) Scan: Colin Mackellar.
DSIF-41, Island Lagoon, 14th December 1961.
This is the original L-Band configuration which was used mainly for the Ranger missions. See the full size scan here. (1.4MB) Scan: Jan Delgado.
DSIF-41 became operational on 3 November 1960, when voice and teletype messages were received from Goldstone via Moonbounce.
On 10 February 1961, Island Lagoon was officially opened. Again using the Moonbounce technique, Australian Minister of Supply Alan Hulme received greetings from NASA Deputy Administrator Hugh Dryden in Washington, via Goldstone.
What appears to be the opening ceremony of DSIF-41 on 10th February 1961.
The crowd is being addressed by someone standing on the edge of the dish.
The white attachment at the far left on the end of the quadripod – is the L-Band Acquisition Aid. It was later transferred to the edge of the dish.
Scan: Colin Mackellar. Thanks to Don Gray for the Acquisition Aid info.
DSIF-41 was operated by the Department of Supply, whose Weapons Research Establishment managed the nearby Woomera range. The US – Australian Agreement stipulated that Australian staff would operate the station under the auspices of the Department of Supply for NASA.
The DOS appointed Bill Mettyear (who was later involved in development of the JINDALEE Over the Horizon Radar) as the first Station Director. In 1965, he was succeeded by Dennis Willshire and then Don Cocks.
DSIF-41 was originally equipped to transmit and receive in the L-Band (UHF around 960MHz). This is the configuration in the photo above.
Don Gray (Senior RF Engineer at Island Lagoon and later Station Director at Tidbinbilla and then Honeysuckle) writes –
Another view of the station circa 1964.
Here, the antenna has been modified for L-Band and S-Band operation in order to support the Lunar Orbiter and later missions.
Photo via Glen Nagle, Tidbinbilla.
DSS 41 operated continuously until the station closed in December 1972.
See Missions supported.
The book Uplink-Downlink: A History of the Deep Space Network by Doug Mudgway.
The book Woomera, by Ivan Southall, Angus and Robertson Ltd., 1962.