England - Yorkshire - RAF Menwith Hill landscape at night

A night view of the green Yorkshire Moors countryside looking down from a nearby hill to the top secret intelligence-gathering base of RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. One sees the lights of passing traffic past surreal-looking white radomes in the shape of golf balls - each containing a satellite dish - that are dotted across the science-fiction landscape. Many of these are used for signals interception from communications satellites and are commonly thought to be part of ECHELON, a highly secretive world-wide signals intelligence and analysis network. Other parts of this notorious site are thought to be used by the Space Based Infrared System employed by the US National Missile Defence program. The base has attracted significant levels of protest from anti-nuclear and pacifist groups.

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Filename: RB_107-18-05-2001.jpg
Copyright: Richard Baker
Image Size: 4096x2656 / 535.0KB; http://www.bakerpictures.com; Britain British CND England English Menwith Hill Photographer RAF Richard Baker UK US USA Washington Yorkshire anti-nuclear base blott classified countryside defence defense directive across echelon facility dark gathering golf ball government green intelligence interception intimidating landscape listening menace military moors notorious odd order pacifist political programme proliferation protest radome satellite sci-fi science fiction secret sensitive signals space sphere spherical spying station subversive surreal terror terrorism warfare weird influence power powerful evening fading light dusk
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A night view of the green Yorkshire Moors countryside looking down from a nearby hill to the top secret intelligence-gathering base of RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. One sees the lights of passing traffic past surreal-looking white radomes in the shape of golf balls - each containing a satellite dish - that are dotted across the science-fiction landscape. Many of these are used for signals interception from communications satellites and are commonly thought to be part of ECHELON, a highly secretive world-wide signals intelligence and analysis network. Other parts of this notorious site are thought to be used by the Space Based Infrared System employed by the US National Missile Defence program. The base has attracted significant levels of protest from anti-nuclear and pacifist groups.