So file this under news that I possibly only care about, but Australia has also uncovered a 1960s IBM729 Mark 5 tape drive so we can finally take a gander at the lunar landing tapes!
For those new to this story, last year 173 data tapes from the lunar landings were found in Perth, Australia. Under the foot boards of an auditorium! NASA had long since lost these tapes, blaming it on an archival error. But last year a huge asset of human history was found almost 40 years after someone had parked them mysteriously under the foot boards.
You can't make stories up like this. Unfortunately, no one knew how to read these archaic tapes, and no one knew where to begin even looking for an IBM729. Heck, most people didn't even know those old suckers still existed.
Then Australia, pulls another rabbit out of their hat.
Fridge-sized tape recorder could crack lunar mysteries
By Nic MacBean
http://www.abc.net.au/...
Dr O'Brien's work on lunar dust took a back seat when he started working for Western Australia's Environmental Protection Authority, and when NASA lost their copies of the tapes it meant the information was basically laying fallow.
"NASA, in the words of their website, misplaced the tapes before they were archived," Dr O'Brien said.
When Dr O'Brien learnt of the tape loss, he was contacted by Guy Holmes from data recovery company SpectrumData, who offered to try and get hold of the information.
Mr Holmes has kept the tapes in a climate-controlled room since then, and it was only when he stumbled upon a 1960s IBM729 Mark 5 tape drive at the Australian Computer Museum that his company had the ability to unlock the information.
The computer enthusiasts who run the Sydney-based museum agreed to lend the almost archaic-looking recorder, which is in need of tender love and care, to Mr Holmes.
Mr Holmes jokes that a 1970s Toyota Corolla fan belt could be used to get the recorder up and running.
Seriously Australia, thank you.
Not only did you keep the lunar tapes safe when we would have taped over them with the Battle of the Network Stars, but you also kept a IMB729 handy?
America owes you big time for this, as does the rest of the world.
Who knew Australia would emerge as the archivist's archivists. Seriously, who?
So thank you Australia, thank you oh so very, very much.