Owen
What a life for a techhead. Found a group of space cadets at Melbourne Uni who weren't just thinking about space but actually doing things, like receiving weather satellite pictures for the Bureau of Meteorology and building our own satellite. Seeing Polaris intercontinental ballistic missiles being made, Apollo modules being built, climbing over a rocket launch pad and being at the launch of a probe to Venus. Electronics engineering taught by a guy who collected electrical accidents, preferably major. Then a PhD flying telescopes from high altitude balloons and of course they had to be launched from places all around the world. Post-doc in Cleveland, Ohio (that's where Michelson and Morley did their famous experiment proving that Einstein wasn't a crackpot after all). An academic career followed doing similar things for the next 15 years with a break to help develop the world's first all digital telephone system. Next a move to Adelaide where I spent a few years travelling to see amazing things, like Concord, Russian Mars landers and other "stuff". Finally a move to an IT company where we built satellite test gear, some secret squirrel stuff (I'd have to shoot myself if I told you) and demonstrated vehicle GPS tracking and tolling for the first time ever. Not bad for an Aussie IT outfit! Oh, and a two year break playing with electronics, software and aeroplanes. The best decision of my life was to marry Delia 47 years ago and she still tolerates me! We visit our son who lives in London with his wife and three children. |