Just When They Should Be Standing Around Per Usual

Worker cuts once-in-lifetime line to NASA

"NASA missed out on Venus's once-in-a-lifetime transit of the Sun because an Aussie roadworker severed a Telstra wire.

The incident happened yesterday afternoon near Mataranka and has cut many Northern Territory Telstra customers south of the town - including Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.

NASA's live feed crossed to interviews with anchormen during the Alice Springs cross, the NT News reported.

About 2000 "bay stations" are out of action in the NT - cutting landlines, mobile, and internet services.

But Telstra spokeswoman Jane DeGault said: "The reason Alice is upset about it is because they're transmitting to NASA because they are in the best position in the world to see it," she said.

"They are understandably upset."