2
The initial entry in this folder is a letter from Teller to Starbixd dated
5 January 1960 which lays out Livermore's feelings on the guidelines for
construction at the NTS to obtain a given readiness as well as the scientific
construction costs versus readiness for each proposed facility. It would be
most useful to have a copy of this letter which is document # BY-59-152.
Teller is responding to a letter from Starbird dated 16 November requesting
information on the -LRL weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site and on
gaining readiness andthe scientific construction costs involved.
Teller
agrees that the Lighest priority candidates for testing should be the
56 (Fyfe), the 47 mock-ups, the Arrow and the 47-73Shot. He notes the
great difference in the diagnostics required for the fobrests which leads
him to conclude that they cannot be alternates in the same facility and therefore
there is a requirement to ready four shot sites, if indeed the four tests are
desired to be readied. Teller notes that Starbird had suggested that "If equipment
and supplies were assembled to the maximum without incurring additional
’ Jarge new costs, and if basic construction work were completed, we should have
the capability of ge‘ting off the first shot in 30 to 40 days."' Teller notes that
one item which must be accomplished in order to reach the propose-! readiness
is procurement of additional long lead time items especially coaxial cable
which will involve large new costs.
Furthermore, long lead time
procurement will not attain the desired 30 to 40 day readiness unless a
certain amount of scientific construction is done immediately.
combination of long lead time procurement and some scientific
will achieve a desired 30 to 40 day readiness.
Thus, a
construction
Teller further notes that
of the four devices, only the 47 safety shot could be done by mid-February
and the others might be plannedas,follows: Fyfe for July, 47
for
March, Arrow for July. The scarp criterion is addressed and Teller
makes a recommendation that the scaling rule of 550W
be modified to
450w! 3, which he feels is adequately conservative. The message goes on to
lay out in tabular form, for the four shots the specifics of facility to be used,
maximum yields, the projected construction times, the projected costs for
long lead time items and for construction to meet the readiness dates that
are finally set forth. Teller recommends the expenditure of about 1 million
dollars for long tead time procuremenilof almost 400 thousand dollars of
coaxial cable and another 600 thousand dollars for scientific construction)
to be spent immediately to attain. a readiness
and for the 47
gf 40 days for Fyfein U1ZE07
‘test in U12E03, 21 dayfythe 47 safety shot in Ul2J01,
and 60 days for Arrow in U12B09. Finally it ig' noted that the entire test
budget for Fiscal 1960 of 4.5 million is already committed with more than
half of it committed to Cowboy and Lollipop and Teller recognizes that
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’ additional funds would have to be made available to achicve the recomme
state of readiness. Finally, he concludes ‘Jaat since there has already becn
‘a slippage in readiness dates for devices which he considers impartant to
our defense posture, he feels the achievement of the higher degree of
readiness is sufficiently important to warrant the experditures. Note that
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t2 Oetaher 1959