August 9, 1950 Memorandum from J. G. Vann to Dean J. H. Lampe with enclosure
I am enclosing herewith two conformed copies of the above
indicated contract with the
been executed and are for your file. I believe you stated that
one of these to him.
JGV:LC
Enclosures (2)
Contract No. AT-(40-1)-1032 between the
and
the design of a a low-power nuclear reactor suitable for on-campus use in university
research operations primarily on an unclassified aid/or declassified basis.
Certain other topics also are to be included in the study. In partial fulfilment
of this contract, a report has been prepared by
entitled, "Program Administration and Installation Design of the Nuclear Reaotor
Project at
use at
Commission
It is intended that this report present to the Commission the
general plan of the project, the prelininery design of the nuclear reactor, and
a consideration of the health and safety hazards associated therewith, in
sufficient clarity in the principle features and essential details, to pernit a
definite decision now by the Commission that the project may or may not be carried
to completion.
The studies have been carried to the point where the next logical
step involves procuring an architectural firm for detailad planning of the
reactor building and engaging engineers and draftsman for the construction of
working blueprints for the reactor. State College is reluctant to take these
steps until a definite approval of the general plan of the project is assured,
since an inherent commitment of a considerable sum of money is involved.
In preparing the attached report, it was intended that all principles
of operation, details of reactor design, environmental conditions and other
important factors likely to be of importance in overall consideration of the
project be described and discussed, If any essential features are not included
or are not clearly described, we shall he happy to have then pointed out and we
will attempt to provide the requisite information promptly. It would, however,
prove a very time consuming task, which really should be a part of the program
involving preparation of working drawings for construction of the facility, to
present and describe all the minor details of the building layout and reactor
design.
Therefore, if the attached report does present sufficient in-
formation on the essential features to be used as a basis for decision, even
though many details are yet to be described, approval of the proposed project
by the Atomic Energy Commission is requested. Such approval would not only
provide us a justification for continuation and expansion of our design studies,
but would also furnish us evidence of a program, tangible and concrete, on
which our requests for further financial assistance could he based. Thus
far our explorations of major finennial support have been presented, of
necessity, on a somatt contingent and hypothetical basis.
Very sincerely yours,
Clifford K. Beck, Head
Department of Physics
cc: Dean J. H. Lampe
Chancellor J. W. Harrelson
W.D. Carmichael, Jr.
R. W. Cook
Kenneth Pitzer (2)
Joseph Platt (2)
George Weil