Operation Greenhouse was conducted in April and May of 1951.This test series consisted of four weapons related test shots from the 300-foot level on towers on the Enewetak Atoll, Pacific Ocean, two of which greatly aided the pursuit of a hydrogen, or thermonuclear device.
Carried out by the Atomic Energy Commission, the shots were: Dog, April 7, 81 kilotons Easy, April 20, 47 kilotons George, May 8, 225 kilotons Item, May 24, 45.5 kilotons
The George experiment proved an thermonuclear bomb was possible and led to a crash development program of the "Super." The fusion contribution was roughly 25 kilotons equivalent yield.
Item was the first test of the boosting design principle, which involved increasing the yield of a fission implosion weapon. The effect often approximately doubled the yield for the same amount of fission fuel, effectively revolutionizing efficiency in weight versus yield of each warhead, excluding a dirty casing effects option of fast fission of uranium 238-lined weapon casings.
About the narrator: Carey Wilson narrated this film. Wilson was a very influential producer and scriptwriter in Hollywood -- principally with MGM -- and led a double life role as a "Q-Clearance" presenter and contributing scriptwriter in top secret films produced by the Atomic Energy Commission and the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP).
Q-Clearance was a top secret classification within the Atomic Energy Commission, later renamed to the Department of Energy. A figure highlighted in this film was the firing team commander, Stanley W. Burriss. He was an engineer by profession. He later became among the greatest forces for creating the U.S. Fleet Ballistic Missile, and later, critical contibutions to generations of Polaris, Poseidon, and Trident weapons systems. He managed this unprecedented scientific, engineering, and command management undertaking, which had profound effects on the civilian space program. Burriss retired as president of Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, after 25 years with Lockheed, and died in the spring of 1979. This formerly secret film was produced through the top secret Lookout Mountain Laboratory, located in the Hollywood Hills of California, under the joint command of the United States Air Force and the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP). The intention of this film was for viewing by top secret oversight committees of United States Congress and leading members of the United States military. Among the leading figures for this nuclear test series was the father of former United States vice-president, Albert Gore, Junior. Albert Gore, Senior was a member of the United States House of Representatives, and was one of the leading appropriations/funding dignitaries who observed at this test series. Representative Gore, Sr. was a very active force in early nuclear testing funding and oversight.
Producer: AEC and Joint Task Force 3
Production Company: Lookout Mountain Laboratory, Hollyood California, under commander of USAF
Audio/Visual: sound, mono, color, originated from 16 mm color celluloid stocks of the time
Run time: 21 minutes
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