OCR

(8) Up to 3, 000 persons were working at one AFB site at one time, with a total of about 3, 850 employed at the site over the period of construction and installation and checkout. (9) Power generated at the Atlas F operational sites would be sufficient to provide electricity for a city of 1, 680, 000 persons, approximately the size of the metropolitan area of St. Louis, Missouri. (10) At one typical Atlas F site the mileage required to make a round trip between the support base and each of the launch sites totals 878 miles, which is approximately the distance between CEBMCO in Los Angeles and the Atlas F base at Roswell, New Mexico. The following are facts concerning the Atlas Missile Propulsion: Cluster of three rocket engines; two boosters, one sustainer; using liquid propellants. Speed: 15,000 nautical miles per hour (17,250 statute miles per hour). Thrust: Total nominal thrust at sea level more than 360, 000 lbs. Range: 5,500 nautical miles (6,325 statute miles). Size: 82-1/2 feet high (long); 16 feet wide across flared engine nacelles. 10 feet wide across tank section. Weight: Approximately 260, 000 lbs. at moment of launch, fully loaded with propellants. Payload: Nuclear warhead. Accuracy: Less than two miles. Description: The Air Force in 1946 awarded Convair the first research and development contract in a program to develop a missile capable of carrying a warhead 5, 000 miles. (At that time the only long-range rocket was the 200-mile range German V-2). Defense Department economy cutbacks in 1947 curtailed research and development of an intercontinental ballistic missile until 1951 when the Korean conflict brought increased military appropria- tions which permitted a renewal of ICBM work on a conservative scale. However, it was not until late 1954 that the ICBM project was assigned top Air Force priority and placed on a full "crash" basis, when studies established the feasibility of developing a small, light-weight nuclear warhead.