Jodrell Bank Observatory, a quiet radio telescope in Cheshire, secretly served as a vital intelligence hub during the Cold War. Sir Bernard Lovell and his team tracked Soviet missiles, providing crucial data to British ministers and armed forces. GCHQ operatives, known as secret squirrels, monitored early Soviet space probes and satellites. The telescopes ability to track Sputnik saved it from budget cuts and led to its use in monitoring Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile tests. Jodrell Bank even uncovered a failed Soviet moon landing attempt, making it a critical part of the UKs defense during a tense period of global history.
DNN | The Daily News Now!
The world’s first global local news network.
Every city. Every story. AI powered.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
