People of Perth again asked to turn on their lights for astronaut John Glenn [Audio]

16/10/98

The people of Perth will again be asked to turn on their lights for American astronaut John Glenn during the early hours of Saturday, October 31.

Premier Richard Court said today that NASA had advised the State Government that the best time for Perth to recreate the scene witnessed by the Senator in 1962, as he completed his three-orbit mission around the Earth, would be at approximately 32 minutes past midnight on October 31.

"It is a unique opportunity for our State to once again salute Senator Glenn, who at the age of 77 is undertaking only his second space mission on board the Space Shuttle Discovery," the Premier said.

"The occasion allows the people of Western Australia to come together as a community with pride and spirit and also to be part of the Senator's historic mission."

Perth became known as the 'City of Lights' after the people of Perth and residents in the surrounding country areas spontaneously turned on their lights in salute to John Glenn.

Mr Court said there would be ongoing discussions with NASA officials to ensure that the lights of Perth were turned on at the best possible time for Senator Glenn to see them.

"NASA has advised the Government that the time that the Discovery is at its closest to Perth could change if the scheduled launch time on October 29 is delayed," he said.

"They have also told us that the Discovery will be further north of Perth than John Glenn's Freedom 7 spacecraft and unfortunately visibility may not be as good as in 1962."

As part of activities to mark the Senator's mission a group of four Western Australian science teachers and students will witness the launch of the Discovery at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral in the United States.

The group includes year 11 students Clare Drake, from Applecross Senior High School, and Aaron Wyatt, from Duncraig Senior High School, and science teachers Richard Rennie, from Presbyterian Ladies' College, and June Gouldthorp, from Applecross Senior High School.

Mr Court said NASA had also confirmed it would broadcast live its voice communications with the Discovery crew.

"This will give people an opportunity to listen in and monitor the response of the crew to our 'light show'," he said.

Media Contact: Bronwyn Hillman 9222 9475