ABSTRACT

After WW2, with the onset of the Cold War, by virtue of an Anglo-Australian Joint Venture, Australia became a centre for scientific research into rockets and long-range weapons (including Britain’s atomic warheads) testing. By the mid 1950s a new outback town - Woomera had been created in the Australian Desert to conduct the tests. Each test generated 1,000s of images and 50,000 pictures could be generated per trial. Women’s roles at Woomera were initially expected to be traditional – supportive wives and mothers. This research based on archival records, documentary film and oral histories with those who worked on the range during 1947-1970, reveals women undertaking roles operating the kinetheodolites that filmed and tracked the rocket firings and female “computers,” who assisted in the production processes. These women recorded and analysed the data from filming and can be considered Australia’s “hidden figures”. Previous Woomera histories exclude any detailed mention of this industrial phenomenon – women as camera operators and data analysts/computers. This article examines the work of one of these women as revealed through film, archival records and oral history drawn from a broader study that examined the work of 12 former camera operators and four “computers” on the Woomera rocket range.

摘要

二战后，随着冷战的开始，凭借英澳合资企业，澳大利亚成为火箭和远程武器（包括英国的原子弹头）测试的科学研究中心。到 20 世纪 50 年代中期，在澳大利亚沙漠中建立了一个新的内陆城镇——伍默拉 (Woomera) 来进行测试。每个测试生成 1,000 张图像，每次试验可以生成 50,000 张图片。Woomera 的女性角色最初被认为是传统的——支持性的妻子和母亲。这项研究基于档案记录、纪录片和 1947 年至 1970 年间在该靶场工作的人员的口述历史，揭示了女性担任操作拍摄和跟踪火箭发射的动态经纬仪的角色，以及协助生产过程的女性“计算机” . 这些女性记录并分析了拍摄的数据，可以说是澳大利亚的“隐藏人物”。以前的 Woomera 历史没有详细提及这种工业现象——女性担任摄像师和数据分析师/计算机。本文通过电影、档案记录和口述历史揭示了其中一位女性的工作，这些历史来自一项更广泛的研究，该研究检查了 12 名前摄影师和四台“计算机”在 Woomera 火箭靶场的工作。