Missile Test Project
Encyclopedia
The Missile Test Project (MTP) was a U.S. Air Force program operated by RCA Service Company
(RCAS) from Patrick Air Force Base
, Florida, under the direction of prime contractor Pan American Guided Missiles Research Division (PAA GMRD) during the 1950s and continuing on for several more decades. Under this program, RCAS instrumented and operated various ships and stations on the Air Force Eastern Test Range
with electronic tracking and telemetry equipment. The instrumented ships and stations tracked incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
(CCAFS) and, using radar or telemetry, also tracked manned or unmanned space vehicles orbiting the earth.
Island (AFE73), Eleuthera Island (AFE74), San Salvador Island
(AFE75), Mayaguana
Island (AFE76), Grand Turk
Island (AFE77), Antigua
Island (AFE86), Chaguaramus, Trinidad
(AFE87), Ascension Island
(AFE83) and Mahé
in the Seychelles
in the Indian Ocean
(AFE89). The tracking station planned for South Africa
was never fully instrumented and eventually found to be redundant.
s), as well as the USAS American Mariner
(a converted Liberty ship
).
These tracking ships, when operated under the direct supervision and operational control of PAA GMRD, were termed "Ocean Range Vessel" (ORV).
and at Chagaramus, Trinidad
, were located in populated areas and, in some cases, technical personnel were permitted to bring their families with them.
Some tracking stations, such as the one at Ascension Island
in the South Atlantic Ocean, were inhospitable and unpopulated and, as a result, it was not feasible for technical personnel to bring their families with them. However, since the Ascension Island
tracking station grew to be a very large one and required a large number of maintenance laborers, temporary rotating forces of workers were recruited from tiny Saint Helena Island
, located about 800 miles to the south.
Tracking ships were likewise managed by PAA GMRD personnel in areas of operation and logistics. Maintenance and operation of technical equipment, such as radars and related equipment, were under the operational control of RCAS.
Tracking ships normally operated in the South Atlantic Ocean, and the port of Recife
, Brazil
, contained a small contingent of PAA GMRD and RCAS personnel to assist technical personnel when their vessel arrived in the port for fuel, U.S. mail, logistics, or a recreation period. Providing in-port periods of rest and relaxation for technical personnel and crew members was a priority requirement, since the tracking ships often remained at sea for a month or more.
Since RCA employed over a thousand personnel in Florida and downrange on the tracking stations and ships, PAA GMRD provided administrative personnel at each major location to authorize and provide travel orders for the constant movement by air of technical personnel. Air transport on prop-driven aircraft was initially provided by the MATS
(Military Air Transport Service
) and later by the MAC (Military Airlift Command
).
RCA Service Company
RCA Service Company, designated RCAS, was headquartered at Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and was a division of RCA created to service appliances and equipment manufactured by RCA.-Government services:...
(RCAS) from Patrick Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It was named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick. An Air Force Space Command base, it is home to the 45th Space Wing...
, Florida, under the direction of prime contractor Pan American Guided Missiles Research Division (PAA GMRD) during the 1950s and continuing on for several more decades. Under this program, RCAS instrumented and operated various ships and stations on the Air Force Eastern Test Range
Eastern Test Range
The Eastern Range is an American rocket range that supports missile and rocket launches from the two major launch heads located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center. The range has also supported Ariane launches from the Guiana Space Centre as well as providing support...
with electronic tracking and telemetry equipment. The instrumented ships and stations tracked incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads...
(CCAFS) and, using radar or telemetry, also tracked manned or unmanned space vehicles orbiting the earth.
Tracking Stations
MTP instrumented and operated the following tracking stations: CCAFS (designated AFE71), Grand BahamaGrand Bahama
Grand Bahama is one of the northernmost of the islands of the Bahamas, and the closest major island to the United States, lying off the state of Florida. Grand Bahama is the fifth largest island in the Bahamas island chain of approximately 700 islands and 2,400 cays...
Island (AFE73), Eleuthera Island (AFE74), San Salvador Island
San Salvador Island
San Salvador Island, also known as Watlings Island, is an island and district of the Bahamas. Until 1986, when the National Geographic Society suggested Samana Cay, it was widely believed that during his first expedition to the New World, San Salvador Island was the first land sighted and visited...
(AFE75), Mayaguana
Mayaguana
Mayaguana is the most easterly island and district of the Bahamas. It is one of only a few Bahamian islands which retain their Lucayan names. The population of Mayaguana in the 2000 census was 259, amounting to an estimate 312 in 2010...
Island (AFE76), Grand Turk
Grand Turk
Grand Turk may refer to:* Grand Turk * Grand Turk Island* Cem, a Turkish prince made famous by his extended captivity in the West* an informal western name for the Great Sultan of the Turkish Ottoman dynasty...
Island (AFE77), Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
Island (AFE86), Chaguaramus, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
(AFE87), Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
(AFE83) and Mahé
Mahé, Seychelles
Mahé is the largest island of the Seychelles, lying in the north east of the nation. The population of Mahé is 80,000. It contains the capital city of Victoria and accommodates 90% of the country's total population...
in the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
(AFE89). The tracking station planned for South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
was never fully instrumented and eventually found to be redundant.
Instrumented Ships
The following small diesel-powered ships were instrumented with tracking equipment: Sword Knot, Rose Knot, Timber Hitch, Coastal Crusader, Costal Sentry, and Sampam Hitch. In 1964 three very highly-advanced instrumented ships were added to the MTP inventory: the USAFS General H. H. Arnold and USAFS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg (both Type C4 shipType C4 ship
The Type C4 class ship were the largest cargo ships built by the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. The design was originally developed for the American-Hawaiian Lines in 1941, but in late 1941 the plans were taken over by the MARCOM.Seventy-five ships were built as cargo and...
s), as well as the USAS American Mariner
USAS American Mariner
The USAS American Mariner was a U.S. Army research vessel from January 1959 to 30 September 1963. She was originally assigned to DAMP Project by the Advanced Research Projects Agency to attempt to collect radar signature data on incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles in the Caribbean, the...
(a converted Liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
).
These tracking ships, when operated under the direct supervision and operational control of PAA GMRD, were termed "Ocean Range Vessel" (ORV).
Operations and Support
The management, logistics and infrastructure of the tracking stations were under the control of PAA GMRD while electronic equipment, such as the tracking radars, was under the control of RCAS personnel. Some bases, such as those at AntiguaAntigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
and at Chagaramus, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, were located in populated areas and, in some cases, technical personnel were permitted to bring their families with them.
Some tracking stations, such as the one at Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
in the South Atlantic Ocean, were inhospitable and unpopulated and, as a result, it was not feasible for technical personnel to bring their families with them. However, since the Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
tracking station grew to be a very large one and required a large number of maintenance laborers, temporary rotating forces of workers were recruited from tiny Saint Helena Island
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
, located about 800 miles to the south.
Tracking ships were likewise managed by PAA GMRD personnel in areas of operation and logistics. Maintenance and operation of technical equipment, such as radars and related equipment, were under the operational control of RCAS.
Tracking ships normally operated in the South Atlantic Ocean, and the port of Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, contained a small contingent of PAA GMRD and RCAS personnel to assist technical personnel when their vessel arrived in the port for fuel, U.S. mail, logistics, or a recreation period. Providing in-port periods of rest and relaxation for technical personnel and crew members was a priority requirement, since the tracking ships often remained at sea for a month or more.
Since RCA employed over a thousand personnel in Florida and downrange on the tracking stations and ships, PAA GMRD provided administrative personnel at each major location to authorize and provide travel orders for the constant movement by air of technical personnel. Air transport on prop-driven aircraft was initially provided by the MATS
MATS
MATS is an acronym standing for Measurements with an Advanced Trapping System, which is a Helmholtz research group for young investigators...
(Military Air Transport Service
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
) and later by the MAC (Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
).
See also
- RadarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
- MissileMissileThough a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
- Cold warCold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
- Eastern Test RangeEastern Test RangeThe Eastern Range is an American rocket range that supports missile and rocket launches from the two major launch heads located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center. The range has also supported Ariane launches from the Guiana Space Centre as well as providing support...
- Pan American Airways Guided Missile Range DivisionPan American Airways Guided Missile Range DivisionPan American Airways Guided Missile Range Division was a distinct division of Pan American World Airways in the period 1950-1980, responsible as prime contractor of the U.S. Air Force Eastern Test Range, based out of Patrick Air Force Base, Florida...
- Patrick Air Force BasePatrick Air Force BasePatrick Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It was named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick. An Air Force Space Command base, it is home to the 45th Space Wing...
- Air Force Technical Applications CenterAir Force Technical Applications CenterThe Air Force Technical Applications Center , based at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. is an Air Force surveillance organization assigned to the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency. Its mission is to monitor nuclear treaties of all applicable signatory countries...
- List of ships of the United States Air Force
- USAS American MarinerUSAS American MarinerThe USAS American Mariner was a U.S. Army research vessel from January 1959 to 30 September 1963. She was originally assigned to DAMP Project by the Advanced Research Projects Agency to attempt to collect radar signature data on incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles in the Caribbean, the...