Sky no limit as Gympie ponders its part in a new space age

Gympie region's chance to be part of the space industry's next generation

EARTHRISE: The picture that inspired humanity 50 years ago, a living planet seen from a dead one. Picture: Contributed

SPACE flight has become an essential part of our lives, largely through spin-off technologies used in mobile phones, satellite TVs, laptop computers, cordless power tools, pacemakers, blood pressure monitors and smoke detectors.

It is 74 years since Arthur C Clarke neglected to patent his idea for geostationary satellite communication.

Strangely, for something that grew out of wartime rocket technology, space travel has also inspired peace and conservation.

The famous "Earthrise” photograph of a blue-green planet, taken from a cold heartless moon, brought home the stark difference between a living world and a dead one.

Now, as Scott Kovacevic reports, Gympie may have a chance to be part of an inspiring new adventure, getting into the space industry's next generation literally on the ground floor.

There are always those who say space is a waste of resources when half the world's population goes hungry, but even the hungry were inspired by space exploration. I will always remember a day, 50 years ago in July, when school stopped as we were marched to seats in front of a tiny black and white TV. Some heard it on the radio.

From Calcutta to New York City and in my case Queensland, we shared with humanity that awesome moment when, as the song says, a man named Armstrong walked upon the moon.

Originally published as Sky no limit as Gympie ponders its part in a new space age