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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, SPECIAL SHOTS FOR HARDTACK Note by the Secretaw The attached letter to the Chairman of the JCAE which reflects the CommLssion!sdecision at Meeting 1352 on April 7, 1958,iscirculated for the information of the Commission, DISTRIBUTION COPY NO, When separated from enclosures, handle this document as.....,..
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Among the shots that we have planned f are two very high altitude firings one at 25O,OOOfeet and the other a firings are of extreme importance t expected to give us valuable and essential information with respect to various effects that occur following a nuclear detonation above the greater portion of the earth’s atmosphere. It Is expected that the results of these tests will prove of great significance in the development of our defensive capabllltles including possible defensive measures against intercontinental Since the initial conception of these tests, we have, of course, studied exhaustively the safety aspects of their conduct. One of these aspects doncerns the distances to which the visible light from these explosions might cause damage to the human eye. Our first studies indicated that these distances were small enough to be confined to our test area and therefore created no uncontrollable problem with respect to the safe conduct of the New theoretical calculations as to the amount of energy from these shots that till appear In the form of visible radiation have * Increased materially our estimate of the range at whichsome damage might be caused to the human eye. This Increased range Includes a number of the Inhabited atolls of the Marshall Islands. We have studied ways and means of controlling the conduct of these tests so as to Insure that the natives of these islands could under no condition receive eye damage, We have, for Instance, coqsidered the stationing of American personnel, including Trust Terr&tory officials, on the various atolls and taking as positive measures as possible to insure that no one was looking directly at %he - detonation at the tLne of its occurrence. However, it la felt that, despite an almost unlimited expenditure of our personnel
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re source 8 In this matter, we cannot positively assure that no one would receive such damage. In view of the nature of our responsibility towards these people , we feel that we cannot accept the lack of an absolute assurance In this regard and have therefore decided not to conduct these tests at the Eniwetok Proving, Due to the extreme Importance of these tests to our national security, we have studied the matter of conductMg them safely at some other locatlon, The results of preliminary studies indicate that we can conduct these teats most safely at Johnston Island. We are therefore plarqing, w!_th the concurrence of the Department of Defense, to conduct these tests at Johnston Island as a part of Operation HARDTACK. It Is our present objective that these tests will take place prior to or in September of this year. Honorable Carl T. Durham Chairman, Joint Committee on Congress of the United States