Visit to RAF Menwith Hill

Thu, Feb 20th 2020 at 3:45 pm - 8:30 pm

Barry Smith organised a visit to the joint USA / UK satallite monitoring station at RAF Menwith Hill. Afterwards we repaired to The Hopper Lane Hotel for dinner

A model of a modern satallite which hangs from the ceiling in the reception area of RAF Menwith Hill

30 Rotarians, wives and friends visited the RAF Menwith Hill location that is run by the USA Department of Defense in coordination with the UK Ministry of Defence and GCHQ. The facility records whatever is happening in the thousands of satellites that now circle the earth and forwards the information to the USA, GCHQ in the UK and other NATO partners.

The visit consisted of being shown where the data is downloaded from the satellite dishes and is then boosted in strength and forwarded onto the relevant partners. There was also a short history satellites in space from a member of the technical staff. Then we were taken into one of the geodesic dome buildings that cover the satellite dishes to stop them being disturbed by the weather and accumulating grime. Most of the party climbed the stairs inside to get a view from the top of the dome. Afterwards we were taken to the community centre or as our American friends call it the community center. Here we were given a talk by the man in charge from the RAF side of things and a deputy of the U.S. person in charge about the purpose of the site, its development over the years and its likely future.

After a totally fascinating and frank presentation where many questions were answered the majority of us then headed to The Hopper Lane Hotel for a welcome warming meal that had been organised by Graham Robinson. The good food and convivial company were much appreciated after a blustery night on the moors.

For details of the satellites currently in space see http://stuffin.space/ where you can interact with this map of the satellites: -

Satellites in Space

Barry SmithContact Barry Smith about this page:

(ALL fields required)

(If you are a Rotarian, please name your club.)

'What We Do' Main Pages:

President Muhammad Atif

This is the page for the President's thoughts for his year of office.

more  

This committee is responsible for finding new members and retaining existing members.

more  

This committee deals with all local projects in our community.

more  

Coming under Community this part of the group exists to undertake environmental projects on behalf of the club.

more  

This committee deals with international projects and disaster relief work.

more  

This committee provides the link with Rotary Internationals main charitable trust which primarily deals with projects having a global nature.

more  

Rotary is not just about doing good deeds but also about enjoying yourself and this committee organises social activities. This page contains an archive of some of our activities.

more  

This committee works with the other committees to help them raise funds for their individual projects to support charities locally, nationally and internationally.

more  

This is the vehicle that donates the money that we have raised to the various good causes that we support. Its official name is The Rotary Club Of Bradford Blaize Trust Fund and its registered number with the Charity Commission is 514621.

more  

This committee organises social events and deals with the day to day running of the club.

more  

This committee exists to provide PR and communications between the members and also to provide links to non members through the web site and Facebook.

more