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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DEFENSE ATOMIC SUPPORT AGENCY
WASHINGTON25, D.C.
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ADDRESS REPLY TO:
THE CHIEF, DEFENSE ATOMIC
AUTHORITY: DOE/SA-20
BY H.R. SCHMIDT, DATE:
DASATO 960
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No. --L. cf xX wee gg Lee
CONFIRMED TO BE UNCLASSIFIED
SUPPORT AGENCY
1 3 OCT 196i
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MEMORANDUM FOR:
SUBJECT:
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ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (ATOMIC ENERGY)
Overseas Nuclear Weapons Testing (vv)
1. Reference is made to your memorandum of }; October 1961, subject
as above, wherein you requested Chief, DASA to comment on the operational
and logistic feasibility of using Christmas Island as an overseas site
for nuclear weapons testing.
2.
A detailed presentation of the operational and logistic charac-
teristics of Christmas Island is presented in Inclosure 1.
The bulk of
the material contained therein has been extracted from a study prepared
by the Pacific Missile Range and a United Kingdom review of facilities
at Christmas Island. Both studies were prepared in 1959.
3. The geographic location is such that safety requirements are
satisfactorily met. The facilities as reportedly existing provide the
basic logistic and operational features considered essential for limited
test site operations. There are inherent logistic problems in the utilization of any insular area as a base of operations; however, the problems
are not insurmountable.
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It appears that the adaption of Christmas Island as a U. S.
nuclear test site is both operationally and logistically feasible.
Christmas Island affords sufficient advantages to make it attractive as a
base for sampling operations, balloon shots, and off shore detonations
with on shore instrumentation. A report prepared by the Pacific Missile
Range in July, 1961, indicates that the NASA is also interested in
Christmas Island as a launch site in support of the lunar program.
5.
Evaluating the foregoing together with the contents of the
inclosure from a military standpoint, I consider the selection of
‘Christmas Islandasanuclear test site second in choice to Eniwetok.
Our familiarity with and knowledge of the facilities at Iniwetok take
precedence over reports of Christmas Island that are two years old.
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