408493 nerperony lly. COLLECTION AMPED GENBRAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ON BOX Ne. IIL 3- 326- 93-070 to the 3. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION V 3washington 25, D. C. HMenskyV CAC rotper OX M_7 August 24, 1953 Mr. Lewis L. Strauss, Chairman U.S, Atomic Energy Commission Washington 25, D.C. Dear Mr. Strauss: CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED BY AUTHORITY OF DOE/OC C. REVIEWED BY uf § DATE H.R. aae Boles” ‘By: Uy).Tema -3 20/8 Herewith is a summary report of the Thirty-sixth Meeting of the General Advisory Committee. We met in Washington on the 17th, 18th, and 19th of August, 1953, with all members in attendance. In both our informational and executive sessions we gave particular considera-tion to three subjects: (1) the technical prospects for achieving ! economic civilian power, the steps which the Commission has taken in this direction, and policy which may well guide its further actions; (2) the question of the further development of high energy particle accelerators, with particular reference to decision for taking the next step in this very promising field; and, (3) the extension of the Gabriel Project, known as Project Sunshine, dealing with the global hazards of the large s¢ale occurrence of nuclear explosions and a proposed experimental program for. reaching a sound evaluation of these hazards, In addition we had the pleasure of reviewing the current weapon situation with Gen. Fields and members of his staff, of a preliminary discussion with the General Counsel of legal and patent aspects of the Atomic Energy Act and proposed changes therein, and of reviewing the intelligence situation with Dr. Colby. . 1, The Committee was pleased to have the opportunity of meeting with represehtatives of a number of groups, in the National Laboratories and in private industry, which are interested in the development or use of atomic power for civilian purposes. It was apparent to us that intensive and competent effort has gone into the conceptual development and design of several power reactor systems; we were impressed by the dareful studies which have been made. These studies undoubtedly constitute valuable background experience for the future, It appears that there are several promising approaches toward economic civilian atomic power; and in this connection it is interesting to note that cost estimates, by different groups and referring to several different reactor designs, are tending to converge in a cost region of economic meres BEST COPY AVAILASE