Drop tests using the two redesigned nose sections were conducted at Morris Dam, 22 November. The assemblies were dropped five times each from a height of 35 feet. No parachuteswere used, and the angle of impact was not controlled. Both assemblies remained completely dry on the inside throughout the tests. One section was slightly damaged when it came to the surface under a steel barge, but this was quickly repaired. The two new nose sections were assembled into flight rounds for tests at NMC, 2 December. Both rounds were launched at an elevation of 75° and azimuth of 217°. The sec~ ond stage of the first round either failed to ignite or ignited only partially, as evidenced by the lack of a contrail and the horizontal range of only 14,200 yards. Nose section separation and parachute deployment were achieved satisfactorily. The nose section was located after impact by a very strong, steady, directional signal from the recovery transmitter and by sighting the dye marker. The nose section was completely dry inside, and a vacuum seal had been maintained for 2, hours. On the next round, second-stage ignition was observed, and the range radar showed nose section separation at approximately 105,000 feet. The payload descended very rapidly and could not be located by the search craft. The radar plots gave no indication ag to the nature of the malfunction that evidently “occurred. It is possible that the main parachute failed to deploy or that the pilot chute was fouled by the motor. These were the final tests carried out in the development of an ocean recovery version of the cloud sampling rocket. The results indicated that the improvements in design made subsequent to the field operation resulted in a more practical system than the one available in April 1958. However, further flight testing would be desirable if the rocket is to be used in a future cloud sampling program. 58