How Nhulunbuy businesses fared during three weeks of space launches
Businesses in Nhulunbuy have been run off their feet with a boom in tourists in town for the rocket launches. And it won’t ease up anytime soon. WATCH THE VIDEO.
Northern Territory
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NHULUNBUY tourism businesses won’t have long to rest their weary feet after a “frantic” few weeks.
The Walkabout Lodge remains predominantly booked from now until the few days following Garma Festival, which has begun its preparations in town ahead of the July 29 event.
John Carter from Peninsula Bakery and Cafe said the past few weeks had been a rush of catering and service with NASA crews and tourists in town for the three rocket launches.
“It’s been pretty busy, like frantic busy,” he said.
“We’re about to roll into Garma preparations so I don’t think we’re getting any downtime.”
“We’re about to roll into Garma preparations so I don’t think we’re getting any downtime.”
Mr Carter said business had been booming so much they had to hire additional workers.
“We’ve put on a couple of extra staff members and it’s definitely been noticeable with the amount of food we’ve made,” he said.
Mr Carter said the number of visitors to the region hadn’t faltered across the three separate launches.
“There’s the same amount of NASA and ELA guys around and the tourists haven’t dropped off as much,” he said.
With no firm plans on when the next launch might be, Mr Carter was hopeful for similar events that draw more visitors to his town.
“It would be good for business if they did,” he said.
“Our area has definitely been really hectic busy because of the space stuff.”
THIRD AND FINAL SPACE MISSION TAKES OFF
THE third and final rocket launched from the Territory’s Arnhem Space Centre in Nhulunbuy going off with a bang on Monday night.
The launch was originally scheduled for Tuesday, July 12 but was moved forward to Monday night due to concerns about the weather.
After an initial five-minute delay, the rocket was sent into space at 8.31pm ACST, commentated by an enthusiastic astrophysicist and cosmologist Dr Brad Tucker from Canberra.
According to NASA, space instruments were carried by the rocket to an altitude of 262km before descending by parachute.
Rewatch the livestream here: Rocket launch, July 11
PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR FINAL LAUNCH
A THIRD NASA rocket will launch from Australian soil today at the Arnhem Space Centre as the Northern Territory cements its place in the space industry.
The rocket – the final of a series of NASA launches – is scheduled to take off at 8.27pm on Monday after take-off was bought forward due to weather forecasts.
Equatorial Launch Australia executive chairman Michael Jones was hopeful Monday’s launch would go smoother than the second rocket launch on July 7, which experienced multiple delays.
“I don’t know where the dry season has gone but the clouds and wind have made it very challenging,” Mr Jones said.
“It has kept us on our toes and in a lot of ways and has helped us has helped us refine our processes.
“Thankfully tonight is looking okay so far. The guys are into the countdown already but we’ve got some contingency plans in place if changes need to happen.”
The second NASA launch was originally scheduled to take-off on Monday July 4 but due to harsh weather conditions had to be pushed, only to be delayed again on Tuesday from “extraordinary high winds” which were outside the mission’s safety limits.
Mr Jones said the previous rocket launches had been instrumental in forging dozens of jobs for Territorians while also feeding tens of millions into the economy.
“It has grown from just my dog and one to roughly 30 people on our site alone, plus there are 82 staff from NASA as well,” he said.
“This is just phase one for us. Phase two is about to kick off and we are about to begin a new construction program to increase our capability and facilities in anticipation of other commercial clients, which means more jobs.
“We need local people, we don’t want to fly them in. We need people who know how to operate in the Territory from day one.”
Monday’s launch will be the final of the three NASA rockets to take off from the Arnhem Space Centre in recent months. But Mr Jones said there was more to come in the next 12 months.
“We’ve got draft paperwork with roughly half a dozen other companies who want to come launch with us,” Mr Jones said.
“Between now and the end of September I’m visiting multiple countries to show potential clients what we have achieved and what the commercial possibilities are for them.
“We are hoping to have at least two more launches before the end of the year.”
Mr Jones said Nhulunbuy space fans would have the perfect view of the launch from their own backyard and for those outside the town, an ELA livestream will begin from 7.57pm.
To watch the livestream, click here.
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