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APPENDIX A
ROCKET DEVELOPMENT
A.l

HARDTACK PERFORMANCE

6 May Test
Four rockets were set up on Site Yvonne for testing during Shot
Cactus, a 14-kt. detonation; two were located at 3200 feet from ground
zero, while the others were placed at a position some 5000 feet further
down-island,

It was plannedto fire both of the down-island rockets and

one of those situated at 3Z00 feet to check out the performance of the
array prior to operational use on Shot Koa.

The remaining rocket was...

to be left unfired on its launcher so that the results of exposure to the detonation could be observed,

The launching equipment for this rocket

was rendered inoperative by the blast, but neither of the rockets at the
close-in site were damaged,

Both of the down-island rockets fired, and

one penetrated the cloud and was recovered from the lagoon.

However,

it collected no activity since the cloud height was less than predicted and
the sampler head was programmed to open at an altitude higher than the
resultant cloud top.

The second rocket flew in an erratic manner, missed

the cloud and sank.

Its nose cone was recovered from the bottom of the

lagoon and a post-mortem examination indicated that the rocket had
probably been damaged by a flying object prior to launching.

aN pRa

eAN BE ~

94

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