NATO Satellite Ground Terminal Folly Lake, Military satellite communications facility in Wentworth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
The NATO Satellite Ground Terminal Folly Lake was a military facility with five main buildings: an Operations Building, Garage, Gate House, Radar Dome, and Storage Barn. The site featured a 13.7-meter satellite dish and was designed to withstand electromagnetic pulses and nuclear fallout while maintaining supplies for extended isolation.
The facility began operations in 1982 as one of 24 NATO satellite communication terminals distributed across the alliance. It remained active for over two decades before ceasing operations in December 2006.
The terminal employed 24 Canadian Forces personnel who maintained continuous operations through rotating shifts while handling military and civilian communications.
The site was built to withstand electromagnetic threats and nuclear fallout, with provisions to sustain operations independently for 30 days. The facility is no longer accessible to visitors and can only be viewed from the perimeter.
The heart of the operation was a 13.7-meter satellite dish equipped with electro-mechanical actuators that tracked NATO satellites in geosynchronous orbit. This specialized equipment allowed precise tracking and control of communications across vast distances.
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