Roaring Creek Earth Station is a satellite
ground station operated by
AT&T and located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) south of
Catawissa,
Pennsylvania at 311 Earth Station Rd, Catawissa, PA 17820.[1] The facility includes three 150-foot (46 m) dishes that handle much of the communications between the
United States and
Europe and the
Middle East.[2][3] According to
James Bamford, the
National Security Agency uses the facility to capture and monitor
satellite telecommunications traveling in and out of the United States.[4]
Roaring Creek Station opened in June 1984 under the co-ownership of
COMSAT (50 percent),
AT&T (47.5 percent),
RCA and
Western Union (2.5 percent), with COMSAT operating the facility.[5][6][7][8] COMSAT sold its stake in the station and two others to AT&T for $55 million in January 1988.[7][8]