CONVAIR ASTRONAUTICS A DIVISION OF GENERAL DYNAMICS
BUILDER OF THE ATLAS MISSILE
TEST STAND S-1
TEST STAND S-1
TEST STAND S-2
SYCAMORE CANYON TEST FACILITY
THE SYCAMORE CANYON TEST FACILITY WAS LOCATED ON THE U.S. NAVY'S CAMP ELLIOTT, APPROXIMATELY 17 MILES NORTH OF DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. THE SITE SITE WAS ACTIVATED DURING SEPTEMBER 1956, PROVIDING CONVAIR ASTRONAUTICS WITH A STATIC FIRING TEST FACILITY IN THE VICINITY OF THE MANUFACTURING PLANT.
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING WAS USED BY THE AIR FORCE, CONVAIR ASTRONAUTICS AND ASSOCIATED CONTRACTOR LIAISON PERSONNEL. IT PROVIDED A RECEPTION AND SECURITY CLEARANCE AREA AND AN OFFICE FOR ENGINEERING PERSONNEL. IT ALSO CONTAINED A DISPENSARY, CAFETERIA, GARAGE AND AN INSTRUMENT CHECKOUT STATION.
ASSEMBLY BUILDING
THE ASSEMBLY BUILDING WAS USED FOR PRE-FIRING CHECKOUT OF THE MISSILE SYSTEM PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE MISSILE ON THE TEST STAND.
CHIEF TEST CONDUCTOR
SYCAMORE CANYON TEST FACILITY
TEST STAND S-1
TEST STAND S-1, THE FIRST STAND ACTIVATED AT THIS SITE, ORIGINALLY CONSISTED OF AN ASSEMBLY BUILDING, A BLOCKHOUSE AND A CAPTIVE FIRING STAND WITH ASSOCIATED SERVICE TOWER, FLAME DEFLECTOR, ERECTOR AND HOLD DOWN MECHANISM, PROPELLANT AND GAS FACILITIES, TEST SUPPORT EQUIPMENT. THE EQUIPMENT WAS IN MANY CASES SIMILAR TO THAT USED AT THE FLIGHT FACILITIES AT EASTERN MISSILE TEST RANGE, CAPE CANAVERAL, SO THAT STATIC OPERATIONS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO FLIGHT OPERATIONS FOR EFFICIENCY OF TRAINING AND TEST PLANNING. ASSOCIATE CONTRACTORS DID NOT PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN TESTS AT THIS STAND.
TEST PERFORMANCE DATA ORIGINATING ON THE TEST ARTICLE, THE TEST STAND AND THE GENERAL TEST AREA WERE ROUTED THROUGH TRANSMISSION LINES TO THE TRANSFER ROOM AND THE BLOCKHOUSE. DATA COLLECTED DURING STATIC FIRINGS OR SYSTEMS TESTS COULD BE MONITORED BY TEST PERSONNEL ON A "QUICK-LOOK" BASIS OR RECORDED ON MAGNETIC TAPE AND SENT TO THE DATA PROCESSING STATION FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS.
THIS SYSTEM AND THOSE AT SYCAMORE S-2 AND ERS STAND 1-4 WERE RADICALLY MODIFIED DURING 1958. MODIFICATIONS INCLUDED IMPROVED RECORDING CAPABILITIES, REVISED ELECTRICAL CALIBRATION SYSTEMS AND IMPROVED SIGNAL CONDITIONING.
TEST STAND S-2
TEST STAND S-2 WAS ACTIVATED ON FEBRUARY 4, 1958 FOR THE TESTING OF MISSILE 1B. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT WERE SIMILAR TO TEST STAND S-1. THIS STAND WAS CONSTRUCTED PRIMARILY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE B SERIES ENGINES. THE CHECKING OF RF SYSTEMS AT THIS SITE WAS DONE WITH MISSILE SYSTEM CHECKOUT TRAILERS DURING TESTS NOT REQUIRING ENGINE FIRINGS. ASSOCIATE CONTRACTORS DID NOT PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN TESTS AT THIS SITE.
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