Pisgah Astronomy Research Institute, North Carolina

The Pisgah Astronomy Research Institute(PARI) is the most recent incarnation of this isolated satellite tracking and communications site in the Smoky Mountains, which was operated by the National Security Agency for more than a decade. The site came into existence in 1962 as the Rosman Satellite Tracking Station, built by NASA, to support the Gemini and Apollo manned space programs. In 1981, it was taken over by the NSA, and used for signals intelligence gathering, especially the interception of telephone and data conveyed by geostationary communication satellites. During this period, when it was known as the Rosman Research Station, as many as 250 NSA people worked there, including contractors from Bendix, Allied Signal, Raytheon, and TRW.  The agency abruptly closed the site in 1994, and transferred it to the US Forest Service. In 1999, a group of scientists and business interests joined to create a non-profit to save the site from demolition, and operate it as an educational site and radio astronomy observatory. The four principal dishes remain, including two large steerable 26 meter dishes, along with around 20 buildings, one of which was dedicated to paper shredding.