EARLIER this year, the Gazette reported that the satellite communications station at Defford was being closed down.
A quarter of a century ago, news of its imminent opening was in the paper.
The report says that at the time, the Defford site was already playing host to "two interferometer aerials, one for the meteorological radar work of RSRE and the other used by the Jodrell Bank station of Manchester University."
Contracts for new construction work, worth over £700,000 were awarded by the Property Services Agency.
"The civil engineering work, involving the building of concrete bases for the special radomes which will house the station's complex electronic equipment will be complete by April 1980, the building work by July 1980 and the station will be semi-operational with up to 40 personnel before the end of next year.
"Five miles away at Bredon Hill an eight-metre high aerial array will be built to enable scientists to calibrate their communication equipment."
The site was intended to replace one at Steamer Point, near Christchurch, Hampshire, which was being closed down.
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