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7

A memo from a Major Rosen from the DMA Test Office to General Betts on 9
September 1961 addresses a DoD study entitled " Case for Nuclear Testing"
and doesn't really seem to think much of the study as far as being at all
comprehensive or really saying very much. Among other things the study notes
the DoD's need for effects tests but doesn't make a very strong case for any
justification for tests other than underground tests. Rosen goes on in his
memo to list and discuss crucial problems in deciding whether testing should
be done underground or in the atmosphere if there is a choice. Among other
problems he discusses the time factor where atmospheric testing can probably
do the same number of shots much more quickly than can underground testing,
diagnostics where it is not known for certain if all the needed diagnostics
can in fact be acquired by underground tests, costs where because of the
time factor involved the lengthy underground series will cost a good deal more
maybe a factor of several times more than atmospheric tests programs, and
finally the yield limit on underground shots which would not exist for the
same reasons for atmospheric or outer space shots.
A 9 September TWX from Betts to the Labs discusses the inputs from the DoD
after seeing the AEC's proposed programs and lists in particular the effects
test that the DoD proposes and a priority in which they would like to
perform them. Further, the DoD lists in their shot list 4 devices which

they feel require proof or developmental tests which the AEC hadn't included
in any of their lists and Betts asked for comments on these.

list contains 44 tests to be done in a two-year test period.

The entire DoD

In addition to the Foster and Bradbury replies requested by Betts on the
matter of atmospheric versus underground testing Hertford of ALO replies to
Petts and concludos that given certain assumptions that tie makes one or LWO
atmospheric tests could be quickly staged at the NTS and accomplished without

too much consideration for public opinion because of the attitude of the

people in that area among other things.

AIC
All

In a 14 September TWX Schwartz of Sandia gives his feelings to General Betts
of the atmospheric testing capabilities under various considerations. He
ees cussaeystT face testing using balloons and feels that a response time for
the NT fj
bout 3 weeks whereas for EPG it would be about 90 days. On the
subject of high altitude and outer space testing he notes the availability
of Thor and Atlas boosters to lift various size payloads to the desired
altitudes. He further notes the availability of small rockets and dicaps
for diagnostics. As for response times it is estimated that using only ground
based instrumentation or companion rockets Thors could perform high altitude
testing from Johnston Island in about 6 to 8 months and using onboard instrumentation and dicaps probably would require about 12 to 18 months. Smaller
payloads might be tested by launching them from the Polaris launched from
the Norton Sound or a operational submarine on a shorter time scale. Area
of outer space testing which would allow testing of yields one megaton or
larger it is estimated that 18 to 24 months would be required to develop a
site and prepare for such shots.
Both Foster and Bradbury by TWX's in the 10 days following the 9th of
September request from Betts for information on the DoD shot list replied
to Betts with their comments on the DoD's shots not included in previous

Select target paragraph3