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Show A.R.C. Builds Afrhena Atlantic Research Corporation, Corp-oration, a division of the Susquehanna Corporation, with general oflkes in Costa Cos-ta Moa, Calif., is responsible respon-sible for the construction of tho Athena and Athena 11 unfiles. Tho company is a highly diMi-sit'ieel technology firm spi eiali.-.ing in the design and dovelopment of aerospace aero-space systems in support of the tecim.cal programs for tho military space and atmo-spr.erio atmo-spr.erio sciences. Following the press brief-ii'.g brief-ii'.g in Tamday at t'ne C.ren River launch complex, com-plex, newstnen were given a toiir of t'ne facilities operated op-erated by ARC at the complex. com-plex. Project manager for ARC, Joe Ge'.o, conducted the tour with superintendents superintend-ents for the various phases of the Athena mission m charge of the several sectors sec-tors of the tour. The Athetu missile is constructed at the company's Costa Mesa offices offi-ces and component parts aie then shipped to Green River for assembly and testing test-ing prior to firing. Assembly of he Athena takes place in the converted convert-ed buildings which onco held the Union Carbide uranium ur-anium mill outside of Given Jtiver City. This area is now part of the launch complex. Eernie Lassen is in charge of actual assembly and testing of the missile ini Green Kiver. The parts sh.pped from Cosat Mesa are individually checked or balance and after they are assembled, are again balanced bal-anced and checked including includ-ing the telemetry system. After the missile is taken to the launch pad, supervisor supervi-sor John G retch is then placed in charge and must; make sure that the neces- sary precautions are taken to remove chances for mishap. mis-hap. As the missile is readied read-ied for takeoff, block housei superintendent Roy Snow takes care of surveillance of the rocket until final blastoff. Closed circuit television tele-vision camaras are trained on the rocket at all times and strict precautions are observed to mainatin conditions condi-tions which will be beneficial bene-ficial to the firing. In some cases, a constant; temperaure must be maintained main-tained in the payload and frequent checks of the air recirculation must be made. As the time for the firing1 noars, mission control personnel per-sonnel begin a series of checks on weather conditions, condi-tions, conditions of the missile mis-sile itself and on the area over which the missile is to be fired Overseeing all of these precautions, Joe Ge-lo Ge-lo ties all efforts and tasks together to provide for smooth operation of the program as a whole. |