To achieve the best possible performance, we have employed a state-of-the-art super-cooled receiver operating at 8º Kelvin (-265º Celsius). Operating at this low temperature minimises amplifier noise, so the overall signal to noise (or G/T) performance is greatly improved. 

Using technology developed jointly between Goonhilly and the University of Oxford, the ultra-low noise cryostatic receiver, combined with a supercomputing back-end processor, transforms the 30m Goonhilly-3 dish into the equivalent of a 50m antenna compared to an uncooled system.

The upgraded antenna supports applications including radio astronomy, commercial satellite communications, space situational awareness and deep space communications, making it a critical part of the world’s first private deep space communications network . 

To further advance this technology we are partnering with the University of Oxford to develop new cryostat products at our receiver and antenna manufacturing facility with applications both for space communications and quantum computing.

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