This allowed the ground to take the weight of the large receiving dishes, but the most important fact was the lack of background electronic noise.

What nearby electronic noise there was is said to compare to the strength of heat felt on the Moon from an electric fireplace on Earth.

Madley 1, the first of the dishes, tracks a satellite about 22,236 miles (35,785 km) away, positioned over the Equator in geostationary orbit.

Madley was the first UK satellite site to transmit a fully digital transmission via time division multiple access (TDMA).

The grounds are leased as an educational nature reserve, Madley Environmental Study Centre.