40989262-001

TARGET BALLOON METEOROLOGY INTRODUCTION Although balloons are generally assumed to be subject only to the capracies of the atmosphere, they may be utilized to overfly designated targets. The Air Force Geophysics Laboratory (AFGL,AFSC) has periodi- cally engaged in the activity since 1955, with some 250 flights, prin- cipally in the vicinity of White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), New Mexico. As early as 1949, the Navy, with AFGL support, dropped a missile from a target balloon above WSMR. The balloons referred to here, are almost all plastic, constant level cells, flown primarily by AFGL and NCAR…

PEPP TRAJECTORIES 10 SCALE NM 0912(126K) FLOAT 0922( CUT) WALKER AFB 0943(CUT) Ee LAUNCH SITE CENTER 50 : 0914 (126K) FLOAT 0847( 124K) FLOAT es 1025 (CUT) 1050(CUT) (HOLLOMAN AFB LEGEND ——— H66-76 30 AUG 66 LAUNCH 0717 MST H67-60 28 JUL 67 LAUNCH 0628.5 MDT H67-63 15 AUG 67 LAUNCH O609 MDT H67-65 22 AUG 67 LAUNCH 0702 MDT

SALINAS PEAK & = <PKG IMPACT 1101 —>X or ¢ ~ f = \ AEROSHELL IMPACT >” x CUTDOWN o922 =; —— CUTDOWN 1025 “AEROSHELL IMPACT a BLACK TOP MOUNTAIN, te 1050-DROP Xeartosp IMPA\ OnorTHRUP ‘ FeMPACT 1121 ~—AFCRL INSTRUE OTHREE RIVERS ip HOLLOMAN AFB | TATION(HG7-63) | _PEPP TRAJECTORIES _ 1010-127K 0920-126K RUIDOSO ° 0850 0900 120K 128K] 0855 QBENT 0900 0825-127K 0848 -104K ~ 4 ROSWELL | WALKER AFB . a5 0745-54K 0830-112K 0641-41K * HAGERMAN —___—™. ial 0847-FLOAT | * oCLOUDCROFT oELK | LEGEND. H67-60 28 JULY 67 LAUNCH 0628.5 MDT H67-63 15 AUG 67 LAUNCH O609 MDT ——....--— H67-65 22 AUG 67 LAUNCH 07…

TULAROSA ADAR TRACK ———= NOTE: ALL TIMES SHOWN ARE {ENLARGED AREA) Se eis Se eS ee WALE RARER deat to’ TULAROSA

30° } ROSWELL ei Perera see ss ee 4 ° 5 20 ALE 105°30° WUE KRER ENLARGED AREA DETAIL

TWO HOUR FLOAT TIME POSITIONS 90K IS5-31 JULY 61-67 a ae <) ROSWELL ~ >) WALKER AFB “ee FLOAT ~~ POINT eS = ss ~~} ARTESIA KEY. y WALKER FLOAT POINT © ARTESIA FLOAT POINT 30 20 10 ° ee ee ee

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Nautical Miles from Target Center y; Accumulative Z% 11-15 95 15+ 100 (172 cases) Target Time Error Minutes he Accumulative Percent 39 4D 33 84 12 100 (215 cases) 16 The record is quite impressive, but the population does include a wide range of altitudes (40 to 120K, 12 to 40KM) with both fixed and adjustable Iaunch sites. Some targets accuracies are shown in Fieure 2, In addition to attaining target drop areas over WSMR, cities were chosen as overfly targets several times. Other experiences saw the balloon inter- cepting, (in the X-Y plane) ground vehicles carrying optical targets. 2. BASIC …