Perth Airport’s control tower projection took place on 19 February 2022. It marked 60 years since astronaut John Glenn passed over Perth during his 20 February 1962 Friendship 7 mission, when residents switched on lights to welcome him. The event is over; the airport’s “City of Light” theme refers to Perth’s civic identity, not a verified formal nickname Glenn declared in a direct quote.
What happened at Perth Airport in February 2022?
Perth Airport hosted a space-themed projection on its control tower on Saturday, 19 February 2022, the evening before the anniversary of Glenn’s flight. The airport described it as the first projection of its scale on an Australian airport control tower.
Created with local artists VJZoo, the animation showed a spacecraft launch and an astronaut appearing to “space walk” up the tower. That was a visual flourish, not a depiction of what happened on Glenn’s mission: he remained inside Friendship 7.
Perth Airport’s 2022 announcement said the animation looped every two minutes and covered almost 40 metres of the tower, which stands 80 metres high. The scheduled viewing period was 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm.
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Why was the tower lit up?
The projection marked 60 years since John Glenn’s flight over Perth. On 20 February 1962, Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, completing three orbits aboard Friendship 7 during a mission that the City of Perth describes as lasting close to five hours.
As Glenn passed over, Perth’s Lord Mayor called on the community to switch on lights in support. Residents and businesses responded with lights, torches and lanterns. The Western Australian Museum says the flight was tracked by Muchea and also describes Perth residents lighting the city to welcome him.
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What did John Glenn say about Perth’s lights?
The historical accounts say Glenn noticed or commented on the brightness below him. They connect the welcome to Perth’s “City of Light” identity, but do not provide a direct quotation in which Glenn formally named the city “City of Lights.” It is more accurate to describe the projection as commemorating the lights that residents switched on and the reputation that followed, rather than a verified naming comment by Glenn.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did the airport address aviation safety?
Perth Airport CEO Kevin Brown said in the 2022 announcement that the airport worked with Airservices Australia and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to ensure the projection would not affect operations or safety. Brown also said: “It’s great to be involved in the 60th anniversary, and to mark the occasion by lighting up the control tower is something pretty unique.”
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe announcement offered 30 minutes of free parking in the T1 International Short Term car park for vehicles entering between 7:30 pm and 11:00 pm on the event night. That was a one-night 2022 arrangement, not a current offer.
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Sources and further reading
- Perth Airport: “Tower lights up to mark special anniversary” (17 February 2022)
- City of Perth: “City of Light”
- Western Australian Museum: “City of light – 50 years in Space”
- Perth Airport Annual Report 2021–2022
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