Are we David Bowie Freaks? 

     Back in 1983, my partner came up with the name "Ground Control".  I immediately agreed that this was a great name because I had heard and enjoyed the David Bowie song "Space Oddity" and I knew that that other fans would appreciate the connection with Satellite TV. 

At that point I had heard a limited amount of David Bowie and did not own a single Bowie album.  He was a bit too outrageous for me to identify with, and yet, I was willing to let my company name lean on the reputation of this one song.

If you do not know the relationship between Ground Control, Major Tom, Space Oddity, Elton John & Rocket Man, see  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Oddity or do a search with the words " Major Tom" "Bowie" "Rocket man" and educate yourself.

I prefer to interpret the Space Oddity song with a sense of innocence. It is good in it's own merit without the connection to drugs as so many would say this song was about.

I find it fascinating that some clients have absolutely no clue of the Ground Control legacy, while others can't help but start start singing (or at least attempt to sing) "Space Oddity" to me when calling on the phone or when I get to their door.

Here are the lyrics to "Space Oddity"

Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills
and put your helmet on

Ground Control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown,
engines on
Check ignition
and may God's love be with you

[spoken]
Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Liftoff

This is Ground Control
to Major Tom
You've really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it's time to leave the capsule
if you dare

This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating
in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today

For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do

Though I'm past
one hundred thousand miles
I'm feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell my wife I love her very much
she knows

Ground Control to Major Tom
Your circuit's dead,
there's something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you....

Here am I floating
round my tin can
Far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do.
 

   The geostationary orbit where all of the Current TV satellites are sitting is 22,300 miles over the equator.   This area in space is called  the "Clark Belt" after Arthur Clark who wrote an article for a magazine back in 1946 about the possibility and benefits of parking satellites there to minimize the fuel requirements to keep the satellites in what would appear to be a stationary location.

Arthur Clark was also the same science fiction writer that wrote "Space Odyssey" which was the implied reference for  the David Bowie song "Space Oddity".

              Back to Info Page