The aircr:ft had to be positioned within a very close ptaeiis
on
position in space relative to the device so that the fixed waneEacounted
on the aircraft could photograph the detonation.
As the normal airborne
radar would not scan above the aircraft and since the target was a free
meving, body in the upper air currents, a special installation of an E-l
radar set with an upward field of scan was made on these aircraft and a
beacon installed in the equipment carried by the balloon.
This equipment,
unfortunately 3 never functioned properly and an alternate method of posi“Lonmin, hac te be arrived at.
where che balloon
Through much practice, a system was devised
vas tracked by optics and by radar aboard the USS BOXER
anil itc wosition passed to the Task Group 7.4 Controllers, who plotted this
2
position on their radar scopes.
The controllers in turn vectored the
4
oroper position relative to the balloon and maneuvered the
aireriit unto their proper H-Nour positions,
a’ss vere able to
The pilots of the aircraft
cneck the ACC positioning oy flying formation on the
ocllcon visustir while tho navigator checked for proper slant range from
Due to the flash blindness hazard,
tical observations had to be abandoned just pricr to tine
?
p
Q)
3
~
f
"
th
4
iD
iy)
the tarcet through optical instruments.
zero and final positiening cone by the controller but this ingenious method
cf
ctsitiomin: tne aircrart against a vcesition in space relative to a mov-
«
rv *terce* prevea highly effective and all scientific requirements were met.
o
tas
:
.
t
w
aT
“2 positioning proslen was not so gkeat on the TEAK and ORANGE shots.
On these events, 2 large nuclear device was detonated after beins carried
=o heiehts of 250,000 end 125,000 feet b> a Redstone Missile.
“itn
was tregrammmed to occur within @ fixed envelope in space.
Jum
The detona-
One (1)
gircraf® nositicnea itself by using its own airborne racar while the other
cOPIED/DOE
LANL RC
COPIER is --
©: LANL Ro
95
Air controllers monitorea
x
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oT
ASABLE
TO
FOREIG!
ONALS
~
was pesitioned br an MSQ-la radar on the grcund,