Prince Albert Radar Laboratory

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The Prince Albert Radar Laboratory (PARL) was originally a military radar station operated by the Canadian Defense Research Telecommunications Establishment (DRTE), part of the Canadian Defense Research Board . It is located in Prince Albert , Saskatchewan , Canada.

history

Research into the effects of auroras on transmission signals and radar systems raised concerns for the United States Air Force . Therefore, she turned to Peter Forsyth , who conducted his research in this area at the University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon. Forsyth was invited to Rome , New York, to the Rome Air Development Center . It was agreed there that two radar satellite stations are to be built in Canada for research purposes. One station was built in Fort Churchill , where the aurora phenomena occur very intensely and often, for the other a location was sought that was some distance from Fort Churchill but close enough to Saskatoon. Ultimately, the decision was made to go to Prince Albert. The laboratory was opened in 1958.

Tasks and equipment

One task of the facility was to research radio transmissions and new radar techniques while the aurora phenomenon was taking place. Other tasks related to the area of anti-ballistic missiles (ABM systems), which were worked on in cooperation with the United States Air Force. It was carried out in collaboration with other stations at the Rome Air Development Center in the USA and the MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

The system is still in operation today and is mainly used as a satellite downlink station known under the name “Prince Albert Satellite Station” (PASS). Another satellite station, the Gatineau Satellite Station, is located in Cantley , Québec , Canada.

The system has an operations building, two 10-meter S / X-band satellite antennas and a 2.5-meter L-band antenna.

present

Today the station is used for the following satellites:

Web links