Antenna No. 3 At Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station

A satellite antenna built in 1972, located at Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station in Cornwall, it is a structure of group value, recognised as the birthplace of satellite communication. The antenna features a reinforced concrete tapered tower and counterbalance weights which give it a resemblance to a windmill, with the dish serving as the arms. The main reflector measures 29.6m in diameter and is secured within a framework of interconnected and braced metal girders. A smaller sub-reflector is attached to the main dish via three girder supports, and a feed assembly projects from the centre. An external lift, ascending from the second floor to the top of the tower, is enclosed by box-profile metal sheeting. A second-floor external walkway with protective railings is also present, alongside a brick support building at ground level. While the original electrical and electronic systems as well as the sub-reflector and feed assembly have been replaced, the overall form and appearance remain substantially unchanged. Before decommissioning, the antenna was directed towards an INTELSAT satellite positioned over the Indian Ocean.

Goonhilly is England’s oldest satellite earth station, initially established in 1962 with the “Arthur” antenna to receive signals from the Telstar satellite. As satellite communication developed, further antennas were added to the site, reaching a total of 64 by 2004, making it the largest in the world. Antenna No. 3 represents an early stage of this expansion. Operations were scaled down in 2006 and the antenna was decommissioned in October 2007.