By)
AFSWC History Office
possible thereafter from Johnston rather than Vandenberg.
........
It was
recommended that two complete sets of missile spares be prepositioned at
Johnston since repair of the missiles on the island will not be feasible."
As for the schedules for the THORs the following was set forth by the Air Force:
Pad 6 at Vandenberg would be assigned and work would begin on 6 January
with the pad being on the IOC configuration _by 15 January when the first
missile would be available; six weeks thereafter the missile would be ready
for launch and 7 May would be scheduled for the first operational launch,
Ten days would be required to refurbish the pad and five days to prepare the
missile thus allowing a launch every 15 days after 7 May unless a major pad
repair was required.
Douglas is already under contract with the Air Force
and is proceeding rapidly with the DOMINIC work.
designated Col. E.A. Meyer,
Jr.,
Systems Command
to be their Project Officer on the High
Altitude Program.
A 28 Dec. letter from the Chief of DASA to the Commander of Systems Command
+
we
“Sa
discusses the details of the preparations for the Thor high altitude tests just
covered at a 27 Dec. meeting between JTF-8, DASA, AFSC, SSD, AFSWC and Douglas.
Some of the items covered were planning for the 2 shots on 15 May and 1 June;
TF
recommendations against attempting to incorporate a powered nosepod, which would
require some other means of placing certain instrumentation; fin pods would be
provided by SSD similar to those now being procured from Convair; systems command
is awaiting imminent release of the necessary five missiles, which must be gotten
from those presently reserved to replace British tests; SFD indications that
separation of the booster from the warhead on a lower shot could be effective only
by a substantial system modification.