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File:Zeus site on Kwajalein.jpg

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English: This image shows Kwajalein island during the installation of the US Army's Nike Zeus test site. The photograph is looking to the east, north is to the left.

At the extreme western end of the island, at the bottom of the image, is a square area on the peak of a built-up area nicknamed "Mount Olympus". As Kwajalein is only feet over sea level, there was no way to build a production-type missile silo, so Olympus was built up to provide enough depth. Four launchers were built into Olympus, with assembly and inert storage areas at the foot of the road leading up Olympus. Just to the left of Olympus is a smaller rectangular pad, used to launch Arcas sounding rockets.

Also on the western edge of the island, to the north of Mt. Olympus (left and just a bit up in the image), is a small building on the beach. This was the Battery Control building, which was the heart of the actual firing system. This building supported the Missile Tracking Radars (MTRs) on round concrete pillars on the south side of the building (right). These are not easily visible in this image. A separate radar is visible just to the west (below) of the building, this radar is unidentified but remains in place to this day.

Above the MTR building in the two concentric circles is another radar, the Discrimination Radar (DR, DDR or ZDR depending on source). The circles around it are several concentric metal mesh fences that both blocked the radar's sidelobes from reflecting off the ground, as well as providing protection to staff - the 20 megawatt microwaves were a significant health hazard. A line can be seen running to the right from the building to the edge of the fence, this is a metal tunnel that allows staff to access the radar without being fried.

Just visible outside the ZDR fence line to the upper right are the beginnings of two Target Track Radars (TTR). These do not appear to be complete in this image, which suggests the image is from the construction period in the early 1960s. In Bell documents these are labeled TRR #3 and #4, the location of the presumed #1 and #2 are not mentioned (these may be TTR prototypes in the US).

Further up the image, to the left of the opposite end of the runway, is the Zeus Acquisition Radar (ZAR, or LAR in some sources). Closer to the runway is the transmitter, which is also surrounded by a single metal fence. Although not easily visible in this image, the transmitter antenna was a large triangle that allowed the radar to see in three directions at once, improving scanning times. The receiver is located in the center of the circular grassy plot just to the left of the transmitter. It is not visible in the image, but the entire ground is covered with metal mesh to provide a reflector surface. The rectangular building between the two is a generator plant.

Between the DR/TTR area and ZAR area is a large building with a nearly-flat roof. This was the maintenance and technical operations base.

Kwajalein has been expanded several times since this image was made. A large amount of land was reclaimed at the bottom of this image, extending north-westward past the dark arc-shaped feature in the water, and houses several new radar systems. The curved road running between Mt. Olympus and the MTRs is now located well inland. Another extension was added on the northern tip of the island, extending off-frame in the upper left corner.
Date circa 1961
date QS:P,+1961-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
/62
Source http://www.williamson-labs.com/kwaja.htm
Author US Army

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This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1929 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. For further explanation, see Commons:Hirtle chart as well as a detailed definition of "publication" for public art.

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Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current00:54, 6 January 2015Thumbnail for version as of 00:54, 6 January 20159,341 × 12,009 (15.68 MB)Maury MarkowitzMuch higher quality version, made from the original TIFF.
19:18, 18 December 2014Thumbnail for version as of 19:18, 18 December 2014553 × 619 (91 KB)Maury MarkowitzUser created page with UploadWizard

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