Until about 40 years ago once a year a Chilean warship visited Easter Island, bringing supplies. Very few tourists visited the island dotted with stone heads.
In 1967 the airport was finished and flights arrived from Tahiti and Santiago, Chile and tourism began.
In the 1970’s the Chilean government made changes: water supplies, electricity, a school and hospital.
Easter Island entered the Space Age in the late ’80’s when NASA extended the airport to accommodate an emergency landing for the US space shuttle.
Airport built by NASA, etc.