CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope was officially opened on the 31 October 1961 by the Governor-General, Viscount De L'Isle forty years on, it is still one of the most advanced telescopes of its kind. A gigantic structure of steel and concrete, the telescope soars nearly 55 metres into the sky near Parkes NSW. It played a crucial role in receiving signals during the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969, relaying them for broadcast to an audience of 600 million around the world.