The Post Office communication system ground station at Goonhilly, Cornwall

The initial purpose of the Post Office satellite system earth station at Goonhilly Downs, Cornwall, is to obtain information on the performance of experimental communication satellite systems; such information will be of great importance to the designers of systems for commercial operation. To facilitate this dissemination the UK and USA Governments prepared and signed, in February 1961, a Memorandum of Understanding regarding collaboration between the British
Post Office and the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the testing of experimental communication satellites to be launched by NASA. The first phase of the tests covered Projects Telstar and Relay, both active satellites.