Every now and then I find myself traveling in the Washington, DC area. There is a site that draws my attention and I've always had it in the back of my mind, but after working on Project 6, I started thinking about it more often. So, several days ago I found myself traveling down I-81 South, which is an American interstate road in southwest Virginia. You can't miss this site located in Mount Jackson, Virginia, because there are about 10 satellite dishes and two support buildings right along the interstate and it certainly caught my attention. The location is right next to a large building with the name "Merillat". After I got home from my trip I started researching this interesting place.
It turns out that Merillat is a cabinetry manufacturer. So, why would they need such a large satellite farm? Apparently, I am not the only one who has noticed this place, and at http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/02/07/satellite-furniture-manufacturer/#comment-9485 we learn that a lot of conspiracy theories were flying around the Mount Jackson facility. One poster, by the name of "kjfitz" started doing some research and he found this:
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I don’t know what to make of the conspiracy web sites but the FCC lists this as OrionNet, Inc. and even gives the same geographic coordinates.
(top of page 2)
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/International/Public_Notices/2000/pnin0011.pdf
There is somewhat sparse home page at http://www.orionnet.ccom for an OrionNet that says they are a provider of “Reality priced IT Services for Small & Medium businesses.”
An SEC filing at also refers to this site and says it was owned by Orion Newco Services Inc. Part was sold in 1992 and the rest leased to Orion Atlantic.
In February 1992, Orion sold its earth station facility at Mount Jackson, Virginia, but retained six acres of land at that location plus access to certain capacity and facilities. Orion has leased the land and facilities in Mount Jackson to Orion Atlantic for use as part of the TT&C Station.
The conspiracy website says the dishes are owned by Merillat, a cabinet maker. That address is 1325 Industrial Park Road while the FCC lists the antennas at 1305 Industrial Park Road.
These minutes of a local town meeting mention Merillat and describe the site as having a “very high elevator shaft” which coresponds to the site northeast of the dishes.
http://www.co.shenandoah.va.us/board_of_supervisors/minutes/2003/oct.28.03.htm
I don’t think the antennas have anything to do with Merillat.
Finally Loral Space & Communications mentions that (a) they purchased satellite facilities from Orion 1998 and (b) that they maintain facilities in Mount Jackson.
http://www.loral.com/overview/overview.html
The FCC resistered the transfer:
APPLICATION GRANTED ON 02/27/1998 FOR CONSENT TO TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF CORPORATION
HOLDING EARTH STATION AUTHORIZATION
SERVICE: DOMESTIC FIXED SATELLITE CLASS OF STATION: FIXED EARTH STATION
SERVICE: INTERNATIONAL FIXED SATELLITE
LOCATION: 1305 INDUSTRIAL PARK ROAD, MOUNT JACKSON, SHENANDOAH, VIRGINIA
FROM: ORION NETWORK SERVICES, INC.
TO: LORAL SPACE & COMMUNICATIONS LTD
Transfer of Control was granted by ORDERAND AUTHORIZATION, DA 98-409, released
February 27, 1998.
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/International/Public_Notices/1998/pnin8065.txt
Loral CyberStar lists the sam location as theirs on their corporate web site.
http://www.dolinc.com/cyberstar-site/about/address.html
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Move along folks. Nothing to see here.
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OSIN- Oh, but I disagree. If kjfitz had done more research (unless he's really NSA trying to throw attention away from the facility), he would have learned that there is more to see here. For instance, I did learn by my own research that this facility is owned and operated by Loral Space Systems, specifically, Loral Skynet. Back in 1996 Loral built a spy satellite for the NSA. For some unexplicable reason the dumb-ass Clinton administration gave the go-ahead for this satellite to be launched by the Chinese, <sarcasm>a people known for having a reputable space program at the time</sarcasm>. As you may have guessed, the rocket blew up, but miraculously a good many sections of the satellite survived the explosion and the US workers scrambled to recover the parts, although not everything was found. It is believed the Chinese may have recovered some of the top secret parts. As a result the NSA spent millions of dollars in reformulating their encryption modules. So Loral does have a relationship with the NSA, or at one time, they did. But there's more.
From Loral's own website they say this:
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Based in Bedminster, New Jersey, Loral Skynet manages and operates our Satellite Services business.
Skynet is a full service communications solutions provider, operating four satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit. Together with its hybrid VSAT/fiber global network infrastructure, Skynet meets the needs of companies around the world with broadcast and data network services, Internet access, IP and systems integration. Skynet provides reliable, high-bandwidth services anywhere in the world, serving as the backbone for many forms of telecommunications.
Skynet's customers lease transponder capacity for distribution of video and data for television programming, direct-to-home (DTH) services, business communications, Internet connectivity and telephony. Increasingly, satellites are being used for communications over Internet Protocol (IP)-based technologies, commonly for enterprise-level high-speed data services using very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks, and for distance learning and educational television.
Skynet's services are provided through an integrated satellite and fiber network that interconnects with customer networks through points of presence in San Jose, Calif.; Ashburn, Va.; New York, NY; and London, England and interconnects with satellite and VSAT services via teleports in Mount Jackson, Va.; Aflenz, Austria; Hong Kong and Hawaii.
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OSIN- So, they confirm that the site at Mount Jackson, VA is one of theirs. But, the real intriguing information in the last paragraph is not the fact that Mount Jackson is one of their sites, but they say their points of presence (POP) locations are in San Jose, Ashburn, and New York. What a coincidence! MCI also has three of their MAE facilities in these same cities. And although the MCI facility in Ashburn is around 98 miles from Mount Jackson, it would make a good day trip for a Federal employee. Keep in mind that MCI is the primary contractor for US Government communications under the FTS2001 contract. Although quite interesting but not definitive proof that the Mount Jackson facility has something to do with NSA eavesdropping on Internet communications.
But there's more. Mount Jackson lies in what is known as the Virginia Technology Corridor. And about 164 miles south of Mount Jackson lies Virginia Tech, a university in which technology and engineering is their main focus. But why is Virginia Tech so special? Well, at http://www.ncr.vt.edu/news/news_item.2005-03-31.1378597261 we learn this:
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Virginia Tech has been designated as a national Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE) for academic years 2005-2008 by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Virginia Tech is one of a select group of universities across the United States to receive this designation for playing a key role in educating professionals to reduce vulnerabilities and protect America's cyberspace.
The NSA and DHS are co-sponsoring the CAEIAE program in response to the president's National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace announced in February 2003. This document refers to cyberspace as the nervous system of our nation's critical infrastructures and directs the Federal government to foster training and education programs to support cybersecurity needs in the United States.
The prestigious NSA/DHS designation is a major step forward for Virginia Tech's efforts in the multi-disciplinary area of Information Assurance, enabling the university to apply for scholarships and grants through both Federal and Department of Defense Information Assurance scholarship programs. For more information about Virginia Tech's education and research programs in Information Assurance, visit http://research.cs.vt.edu/infosec/.
Virginia Tech has fostered a growing partnership with the greater metropolitan Washington D.C., community since 1969. Today, the university's presence in the National Capital Region includes graduate programs and research centers in Alexandria, Falls Church, Leesburg, Manassas, and Middleburg. In addition to supporting the university's teaching and research mission, Virginia Tech's National Capital Region has established collaborations with local and federal agencies, businesses, and other institutions of higher education.
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OSIN- Well, isn't that special. Here's what the NSA says about this program of theirs:
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The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE) Program is an outreach program designed and operated initially by the National Security Agency (NSA) in the spirit of Presidential Decision Directive 63, National Policy on Critical Infrastructure Protection, May 1998. The NSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in support of the President's National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, February 2003, now jointly sponsor the program. The goal of the program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education in information assurance (IA), and producing a growing number of professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines.
Under this program, 4-year colleges and graduate-level universities are eligible to apply to be designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in IA Education. Each applicant must pass a rigorous review demonstrating its commitment to academic excellence in IA education. During the application process application processapplicants are evaluated against stringent criteria. Designation as a CAEIAE is valid for five academic years, after which the school must successfully reapply in order to retain its CAEIAE designation.
CAEIAEs receive formal recognition from the U.S. government, as well as opportunities for prestige and publicity, for their role in securing our nation's information systems. Students attending CAEIAE schools are eligible to apply for scholarships and grants through the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program and the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Program (SFS). Designation as a Center does not carry a commitment for funding from the NSA or the DHS.
CAEIAE Institutions are located throughout the country-many within driving distance of major DoD installations, federal research centers, and other federal agencies. These schools serve as regional centers of IA expertise and have begun to provide more programs aimed at retooling and retaining current federal and state information technology personnel.
In conjunction with the CAEIAE Program, the Information Assurance Directorate is a sponsor of the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (The Colloquium) and the Senior Executive Academic Liaison (SEAL). The addition of these programs helps to promote and increase the availability of information assurance education across the nation while benefiting both NSA and the partnering universities.
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OSIN- Considering that the NSA wants unlimited access to monitoring the Internet, Mount Jackson could be just another location where this might happen. But all of this is just speculation. However, I will say that I DO NOT think that Mount Jackson is an NSA listening post. It's not constructed like the one at Yakima, WA and the other in West Virginia. Plus, it's too conspicuous and the electrical interference from cars along I-81 and the Merrilat plant would cause problems.
Take I-495 West. Eventually this part of the DC Beltway becomes I-495 South. You will see signs for I-66. Take I-66 West. After about 65 miles you'll see signs for I-81. Take I-81 South. Virginia has mile markers along the interstate and the Mount Jackson facility lies between miles 269-271, about 30-35 miles south of the I-66/I-81 interchange. The facility will be on your right.