4.4
OPERATION RANGER.
Operation RANGER was the first atmospheric nuclear weapons test series
conducted by the Atomic Energy Commission at the Nevada Test Site.
This 1951
series consisted of five nuclear events, all of which were airdrops detonated
at heights of about 1,000-1,400 feet.
In addition, RANGER included one non-
nuclear high-explosive test detonated 2 days before the first nuclear event.
The following table provides specifics on the nuclear shots (6: 1,4):
4.4.1
Event
Date
Type
Yield
ABLE
27 January
Airdrop
1
BAKER
28 January
Airdrop
8
(kilotons)
EASY
1 February
Airdrop
1
BAKER-2
2 February
Airdrop
8
FOX
6 February
Airdrop
22
Background and Objectives of Operation RANGER.
In November 1950, the Los Alamos National Laboratory discovered that
insufficient data were available to determine satisfactory design criteria for
nuclear devices to be tested in Operation GREENHOUSE, a series of AEC nuclear
tests scheduled for the Pacific from 7 April through 24 May 1951.
The LANL
scientists believed that variations in the compression of the critical
material could affect the yields of the GREENHOUSE devices.
To confirm this
hypothesis, LANL held conferences on 6 and 11 December 1950 and concluded that
a series of small nuclear tests should be conducted to improve the GREENHOUSE
design criteria.
On 22 December 1950, LANL requested approval for a conti-
nental series from the AEC Division of Military Application (DMA).
DMA
approved the request and asked for Presidential approval to expend the
fissionable material required for the series and to use part of the Las Vegas
Bombing and Gunnery Range in Nevada for the tests.
The White House responded
affirmatively to both requests on 11 January 1951, formally creating Operation
RANGER (6: 18).
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