Apollo Moon-landing award for telescope engineer

A former Officer-in-Charge at the Parkes telescope will receive an award in Houston, Texas, next week for his role in the 1969 Moon landing.

Long-time Parkes resident David Cooke was the senior receiver engineer at the telescope during the time of the Apollo 11 landing in July 1969.

He will receive one of the inaugural “Stars of Australia” awards on 27 January (26 January in Australia) at the Australia Day Gala event at the Hotel Derek in Houston. The awards will be presented by Captain Eugene Cernan, the Commander of Apollo 17.

Mr Cooke was the Officer-in-Charge of the Parkes Observatory from 1988 to 1993.

Added by Helen Sim on 2007-01-19