Thomas Reid

Tom Reid MBE
Honeysuckle Creek Station Director 1967–70

Photo: by Hamish Lindsay.

Tom Reid video tribute

Tom died in early October 2010. See above for a brief video tribute on Vimeo – or download a smaller version (22MB mp4 file) here.

See also:

1.) An 11MB mp4 file (right-click to download) of Tom being presented with the NASA Public Service Award and Medal by US Vice-President Dan Quayle in April 1989. (See Award below.)

2.) An 18MB mp4 file (right-click to download). Tom reminisces about Apollo 11 on the 20th anniversary, at the Lakeside in Canberra. (Also on Vimeo.)

Micro-Bio Thomas Reid
1940–44 Morrison’s Academy, Crieff, Scotland – HSCert
1944–48 Royal Navy – Petty Officer Radio Mechanic
1948–52 Glasgow University – 1st Cl. Hons. Electrical Engineering
Citation as top graduate 1952
1952–57 Royal Australian Navy – Electrical Officer
1957–61 WRE Woomera, South Australia – Senior Scientific Officer
Range E and Red Lake (NASA Project Mercury)
1961–64 SA Inst. of Technology – Senior Lecturer, Electronic Engr.
1964–67 STDN – Orroral Valley, ACT – Station Director
1967–70 MSFN – Honeysuckle Creek, ACT – Station Director
1970–88 DSN – Tidbinbilla, ACT – Director CDSCC
Post 1969 Presented MBE by HM Queen Elizabeth II,
NASA PS Medal by Vice President of the US
Personal:

Married to The Hon Dr Margaret E Reid AO, former President of the Australian Senate.
Four children and their families.

Tom Reid with Alan Shepard

Tom Reid farewells astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. after his visit to Honeysuckle Creek on 9th September 1968.

Photo: by Hamish Lindsay.

MOnday 21 July 1969

Monday 21 July 1969 – the day of the Apollo 11 landing and Moonwalk.

Australian Prime Minister John Gorton visits Honeysuckle Creek as the station prepares to receive the first television from the lunar surface.
L-R: Lloyd Bott (Dep. Secretary, Dept of Supply), PM John Gorton, Allan Cooley (Sec. Dept of Supply) Station Director Tom Reid.
Photo: Thanks to Michael Bott via Ken Sheridan.

Tom Reid Group Achievement Award

Tom Reid received this MSFN award as Station Director of Honeysuckle Creek in 1969.

Tom Reid NASA Public Service Award

Tom was awarded the NASA Public Service Award in 1989.
The award was presented by US Vice-President Dan Quayle during his visit to Tidbinbilla on 27th April 1989.

NASCOM recognition

An award from NASCOM Chief, Vaughn Turner.

GSFC recognition

This award recognises Tom’s service at Orroral Valley, Honeysuckle and Tidbinbilla.

With thanks to Tom Reid for the images and information.