Polaris Missile Testing Assembly (San Francisco, California)

 research, interesting place, rocket launch pad

Built on top of the 630-ton crane in 1959 to test Polaris missiles, as part of Operation Skycatch.

The huge overhead assembly at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard caught a multi-ton dummy Polaris missile in mid-air and kept it from free-flight. The missile was sent skyward. At top of its trajectory, it was snubbed by a modified arresting gear engine. Then the dummy Polaris was lowered for examination, removal of instrumentation, and preparation for next test. In earlier testings the missile was hurled out into San Francisco Bay and then retrieved. Lockheed Missiles and Space Division said this new method permits accurate study on dummy missiles which are structurally identical in live Polaris missiles.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDruXY-jvA8

www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/18359898/in/set-56935/
www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Hunter%27s_Point_Naval_...