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Show Short 'Circuit Salt Lake Tribune Blamed in 21 Feb 64 1 Athena Miss ; By Associated Press : SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF., Feb. 20-A short circuit which led to an explosion in flight was blamed by the Air Force Thursday for an Athena missile veering off course after launch at Green River, Utah, last Feb. 10. THE MISSILE was supposed to land 470 miles away at the White Sands, N.M., missile /ange. Instead, it fell to earth 20 miles southeast of Durango, Colo. i Col. Richard Parker, Athena I program director at the bal-! listics systems division here, I said studies revealed this se-• quence of events: , SOME FIVE seconds after lift off, an electrical. short circuit : in a junction box caused prema-iture ejection of nose cone and : payload. j "The resultant loss of wiring prevented separation of the first stage prior to ignition of the second stage motor. "AS A RESULT, separation was achieved only when the second stage motor ignited on command, blasting off the stabilizing fins and causing the vehicle to veer off cflurse." . <>, An Athena missile was fired successfully from the Green River missile complex shortly after midnight, Saturday morning. Two tests, scheduled Monday were cancelled. No reasons were given. 8 Oct 6k WIND & SAND - Friday, Jan.J/7, 1964! Tes ts i ring To give White Sands Missile; Range an opportunity for check ; out of equipment prior to the upcoming Air Force Athena missile test, a Loki research rocket will be fired from ihe new launch complex at Green River, Utah, on Jan. 24, the Army announced last weett. The Loki will impc.ct in a predetermined area south of i Moab. The Loki is not related I to the Athena study of the physics of re-entry. About 30 residents of this area will evacuate their homes for the Loki test firing in accordance with contracts with the government. The evacuation priod on the 24th will be from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. The residents of the three evacuation tracts involved in the Athena firings will be paid on a per diem rate-based on the number of people in each family and the distance that must be traveled-for the times they are away from their homes, usually about 12 hours at a time, under terms of the contracts worked out with. those residents. T;hf three Athena evacuation tracts are: the 424-square-mile j area west of U.S. 160 between Lal Sal Junction and Monticel-lo; a 1,318-square-mile area with a population of approximately 750 near Data, N. M.; and tract comprised of two areas adjacent to the eastern and western boundaries of the range proper, totaling 988 square miles and a population of about 25. The Athena vehicles are being fired by the Air Force Ballistic System Division, Norton AFB, Calif., and will impact at intercontinental ballistic missile speeds on WSMR. Instrumenta-' tion on the White Sands range will perform the analysis of the re-entrying payloads. Times Independent, Moab, Utah .-V--1. - • . - •: -.-..-•. ,•-.'•- Thfe Salt Lake Tribune, Thursday,, JJFebruaryJ}, 196f A.F. Scores Twin Successes In Green River Launching Missiles & Rockets 2U Feb 6U Junction Box Foiled Athena The first Athena missile, which was thrown 20 degrees off course after firing at Green River, Utah, Feb. 11 and impacted 200 miles from its target area, was victimized by short circuit in a second-stage junction box, Air Force sources indicated last week. , They said there was no connec- \ tion between the malfunction and the Athena's guidance system or propul- ; sion units. By Associated Press GREEN RIVER, Emery County, Feb. 5 -Two six-foot Loki meteorological rockets streaked to the upper atmosphere Wednesday in successful tests conducted by the Air Force. x THE FIRINGS were in preparation for the launching of an Athena four-stage missile early next week. The Loki rockets, named after the Norwegian God of Mischief, impacted about 30 miles from Green River in a 424-square-mile area leased by the Air Force near Monticello. THIRTY-TWO residents in the area left their homes as agreed. The Athena will impact in White Sands Missile Range 470 miles to the south. The first stage booster will land in the area where the Lokis impacted Wednesday. A spokesman at White Sands said both rockets had proved their effectiveness and all objectives of the tests had been met.' THE FIRST rocket was fired at noon. The second at 3:30 p.m. The spokesman said the firings were on time. The success of the launches indicates the Athena will be fired on schedule next week. The Loki firings were to test the launching facilities and instruments to _be "used for the Athena. s " ;. |