Case Study: Dstl Antennas

November, 2024

This year, Goonhilly has worked with Dstl (the UK MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) to provide space-to-ground solutions from Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, UK.

The work, which saw the installation of two new antennas at the site, has coincided with the announcement of Goonhilly’s new Defence & Security division earlier this year and the appointment of the division’s Managing Director, Dave Keighley.

According to Dave, “Increasingly, nations are seeking to gain strategic advantage in and from space, including by leveraging satellite technology for both intelligence gathering and beyond-line-of-sight communications.”

As part of the recent project, Goonhilly has installed and is hosting two 3.9m Safran LEGION antennas at the company’s site in the South-west of England. The company is also providing robust power and network services, rack hosting, and enhanced security solutions to support the assets.

The two antennas will be operated remotely by Dstl, with Goonhilly’s expert engineers remaining on hand to provide operations and maintenance support. According to Dstl, the antennas will be used for experimentation with satellite tracking solutions and the downloading of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) data as part of the Ministry of Defence’s wider ISTARI programme.

Dave added: “Given Goonhilly’s 60-year heritage as a provider of secure and reliable satellite communication services, and our proven expertise in innovative RF solutions, we are extremely proud to be playing a vital role in the development of the UK MOD’s ISTARI programme.”

The programme aims to establish a multi-satellite constellation to support greater monitoring and intelligence-gathering, as well as the rapid transmission of information to military decision-makers worldwide. It is being delivered for UK Space Command by DE&S (Defence Equipment and Support) and Dstl.

The installation of the two antennas at Goonhilly Earth Station illustrates the UK’s Government’s increasing focus on the role of space technology in protecting and defending the Nation’s interests at home and abroad.

The project also represents one of many that Goonhilly’s Defence & Security division is currently supporting, using its decades of commercial SATCOM experience, state-of-the-art assets, and highly skilled workforce to help protect and defend the UK’s interests in, from, and to space.

You can learn more about the project on the Government’s website.

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