Here is aon interesting internal memo on a conference
held in Los Anseles on 17
November 61 with representatives from AEC, Livermore, LASL,
Sandia, and EG & G.
en
H&N.
°
and LF
At the direction of General Betts from the 13 Novem
ber meeting, H & N is
preparing overall estimates of the engineering times, procurement time, shipping,
construction, and other schedules for a possible overseas atmospheric testing
operation.
The estimated rendiness of two Livermore Alphastations will be 19
LP
February if authorization is given inmediately based on a readiness 13 weeks cfter
go-ahead.
Welt Gibbins wrote this memo and stated " it was also deterained that the
initiel Livermore scientific construction required. to allow Livermore to proceed wit:
i%3
first shot on March 1 would se complete on February 15 provided there is no delay
in authorization.
Specifically methods of determining yield from FIREBALL for the
earliest shots was addressed and it was felt that it would be impossible to erect steel
towers for the early srots and very difficult to erect wooden tovers end therefore a
non-elevated set-up is being considered.
The meno doesn't make clear whether the
operation is addressed to a specific erea out it does say:
for each Lab, were requested.
"Four timin: sistens , Su
This would allow preparation to texe place in two of our
three shot areas simultaneously."
interesting and are quoted in full:
The words said about the LASL program are quite
"LASL will fire up to twenty dalloon shots, 17 or
18 of which will require Alpha measurements.
These shots are essentially repLacements
for the presently planned needed shots at Nevada if the atmospheric testing program is
authorized in the Pacific.
LASL will fire four to five relatively nign yield air drops
and will stage two shots on floating vehicles, one of which will involve a rather
extensive neutron experiment.
LASL is also planning two or three missle tests, two
at a burst height of 100 to 150 kilometers, and one with a 1000 kilometer height at
burst.
Each of these shots will require companion rockets.
26 companion rockets per missle shots.
The estimated number is
LASL is planning an Alpha Station which is
almost identical in scope to the planned LRL multi-place arch structure, the only
difference being that a tunnel liner will be used rather than the Armco arch.e
EG & G
requested one timing and firing building (Butler type) with a wooden and Linoleum floor.
generally
For planning purposes, it was xmadity agreed that all shots and floating; vehicles could
be fired
by radio with the provision that LRL would request hard wire to bamrres