LRL/Mercury
"NTS Planning Board" Files
There is some historical documentation here of the formation of a committee
called the "Committee on Use of the Nevada Test Site!’ in 1957. The minutes
of the third meeting on 28 May '57 show the fact that the acting chairman
was a Mr. Paul Ager, that the lab representatives were Bill Ogle and Raemer
Schrieber, Dale Nielsen and Jerry Johnson of UCRL, and Hollingsworth and
Mel Merritt of Sandia. This particular meeting focused on the use of the
_NTS for the kover, Pluto and fast reactor programs and in particular addressed
the location for the Pluto and fast reactor facilities,
The first mention of the NTS Planning Board in the LRL/Mercury files is a
25 May
1959 TX from Sewell to Graves and Ogle and others date group251757
May 'S9 on the subject of the next meeting of the Nevada Planning Board which
is to be held 4 June 1959.
On 2 June a TWX from Sewell to the same people
finalizes the agenda for the meeting with the pecple to do the discussions
as follows:
C. DASA-Col.
(1) presentation dy users.A.LRL-C. Violet B. LASL-Herman Heerlin,
Leo Kiley, D. CETO-R. L. Corsbie, E. Sandia-D. Shuster.
({2)
Review of capability to meet construction, support procurement requirements
necessary to attain and maintain the ''90 day'' readiness for the proposed
programs-Holmes @ Narver.
(3) Review of Hardtack two underground shots with
respect to their containment for the following types or sites:
<A. tunnels-
G. Pelsor, LRU, B. vertical holes-Herman Eoerlin.
(4) Brier review of ralicut
from all underground shots in Hardtack II - K. Nagler, USWS.
(5) Brier ~
review of wind study and discussion of adequacy to meet needs of programs
planned for NTS - P. Alien. USie.
(6) Review of balloon exveriments bv
Sandia Corporation and discussion of future plans for balloon development
program - D. Shuster, Sandia.
(7) Presentation of other new programs planned
at NTS and their safety aspects:
aA. Fast criticality facility (Vortex) -
F. Fairbrother, LRL.
8. Scientific application of nuclear explosives (Project
Sane) - Herman Hoerlin. C. Plowshare - Vay Shelton, LRL.
29May1929,3-9 Report:
It sx Is stated here that unofficial
notification was received of a decision to en inactivate the military
portion of task group 7.1 and transfer the military personnel from
Los Alamos and Livermore during the next 2 or 3 months.
Also planning
is continued on the technical modifications nex necessary for uslng
tho LCU/LSD/destroyer concept for open seas shots which wlll be based
at Pear! Harbor.
Plans were sent to Task Group 7.3 who will coordinate
wlth the Navy on feasibility.
Furthermore Sandia Corporation which
Is working on the acro-balfoon program reports that the program has
ann
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