Apparently it has “excellent views of Holloman AFB and White Sands Missile Range” (https://reddit.com/r/SpecialAccess/comments/9f91sm/_/e5uy1fd...) . Further down, someone says that someone claims that the Chinese were using the antenna array at the observatory to spy on missile tests at WSMR.
If the place was truly low on staff then this theory may not be so far fetched.
If the place was truly low on staff then this theory may not be so far fetched.