One “service” flight on June 4, 1947 using several neoprene balloons failed
soon after launch and landed in the ranch of Marc Brazel in NM, who found the
debris the next morning. The headlines across the nation were that a “flying saucer” had crashed. Later named the “Roswell Incident” this became one of the
cornerstones of the UFO myth. Several other missions followed that first ill-fated
test. On July 3rd the first MOGUL mission using several polyethylene balloons in
tandem was launched for the first time.
Balloons, bombs and a boxer
YUCCA was the code name of the first (and only) high altitude test of a nuclear
device carried by a stratospheric balloon. The main goal of the U.S. Department
of Defense and the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory was to study the effects of
the detonation of a “W-25” air defense warhead at high altitude in support of the
developmental work of an Anti-Ballistic Missile. This test, along with two other
exo-atmospheric detonations performed using rocket-borne warheads of megaton
scale (TEAK and ORANGE) occurred under Operation NEWSREEL, as part of
Operation HARDTACK I in 1958.
For most nuclear tests, it was necessary to arrange a series of monitoring stations and instrumented vehicles to retrieve the data at the moment of the explosion. The measurements of the electromagnetic pulse generated by the blast was
performed by the Army Signal Research and Development Laboratory from stations located at Wotho Atoll and Kusale Island, approximately 100 miles and 460
miles from Bikini Atoll respectively. Two RB-36 USAF bombers were modified
to serve as observing platforms, including the modification of the fuselage for the
placement of cameras, spectrographic equipment and other optical instruments, as
well the addition of special navigation aids. To obtain basic data in the infrared
region, a U.S. Navy P2V patrol plane was instrumented with detectors and recorders. The Sandia Corporation was in charge of the development of the weapon. A
different project was started for the balloon development, under the Air Force
Cambridge Research Center (AFCRC). This included development work on the
balloon that carried the YUCCA device and work on launching and tracking
techniques.
Balloon flight-testing for YUCCA began in 1956 at various locations in the U.S.,
for example Vernalis NAS, CA, Holloman AFB, NM and Goodfellow AFB, TX for
testing different components and to train launch crews. Attempts were made by the
AFCRC to launch large balloons from the airfield at Eniwetak Island but these
launches were generally not satisfactory owing to the high surface winds. Another
scheme was devised, to launch the balloon from the deck of an aircraft carrier sailing at the same speed and in the same direction as the surface wind to yield a “zero
wind” condition. The practicality of this scheme was demonstrated with five successful launches from the USS Boxer off San Diego in September 1957.
Appendix 3: Interesting Stories 301
soon after launch and landed in the ranch of Marc Brazel in NM, who found the
debris the next morning. The headlines across the nation were that a “flying saucer” had crashed. Later named the “Roswell Incident” this became one of the
cornerstones of the UFO myth. Several other missions followed that first ill-fated
test. On July 3rd the first MOGUL mission using several polyethylene balloons in
tandem was launched for the first time.
Balloons, bombs and a boxer
YUCCA was the code name of the first (and only) high altitude test of a nuclear
device carried by a stratospheric balloon. The main goal of the U.S. Department
of Defense and the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory was to study the effects of
the detonation of a “W-25” air defense warhead at high altitude in support of the
developmental work of an Anti-Ballistic Missile. This test, along with two other
exo-atmospheric detonations performed using rocket-borne warheads of megaton
scale (TEAK and ORANGE) occurred under Operation NEWSREEL, as part of
Operation HARDTACK I in 1958.
For most nuclear tests, it was necessary to arrange a series of monitoring stations and instrumented vehicles to retrieve the data at the moment of the explosion. The measurements of the electromagnetic pulse generated by the blast was
performed by the Army Signal Research and Development Laboratory from stations located at Wotho Atoll and Kusale Island, approximately 100 miles and 460
miles from Bikini Atoll respectively. Two RB-36 USAF bombers were modified
to serve as observing platforms, including the modification of the fuselage for the
placement of cameras, spectrographic equipment and other optical instruments, as
well the addition of special navigation aids. To obtain basic data in the infrared
region, a U.S. Navy P2V patrol plane was instrumented with detectors and recorders. The Sandia Corporation was in charge of the development of the weapon. A
different project was started for the balloon development, under the Air Force
Cambridge Research Center (AFCRC). This included development work on the
balloon that carried the YUCCA device and work on launching and tracking
techniques.
Balloon flight-testing for YUCCA began in 1956 at various locations in the U.S.,
for example Vernalis NAS, CA, Holloman AFB, NM and Goodfellow AFB, TX for
testing different components and to train launch crews. Attempts were made by the
AFCRC to launch large balloons from the airfield at Eniwetak Island but these
launches were generally not satisfactory owing to the high surface winds. Another
scheme was devised, to launch the balloon from the deck of an aircraft carrier sailing at the same speed and in the same direction as the surface wind to yield a “zero
wind” condition. The practicality of this scheme was demonstrated with five successful launches from the USS Boxer off San Diego in September 1957.
Appendix 3: Interesting Stories 301