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Area 51 - Groom Lake, NV
Munition Storage Area [MSA]

The location of this smaller area ndicates that it is a Munition Storage Areas [MSA], as for it is one of the more remote areas (for safety reasons in case of an accidental detonation). This facility is surrounded by an obvious type of security perimeter indicitive to most Munition Storage Areas, as for they are always Controlled or (usually) Restricted areas. Security is not the only reason for the width of this perimeter. Not only is it a road for Secuity Police (SPs) to patrol the area, but it is most probably 15 feet wide, as for that is the minimum distance that any vegitation is allowed to grow to the fence, IAW Air Force Technical Order 11A-1-1, for fire protection.

Entry to this area would most likely be from the area on the right, the main Entry Control Point [ECP]. While there would be just one ECP used on a daily basis, several would be required for evacuation purposes in the event of an emergency (fire, lightning strike, defective munition requiring EOD response, etc.) The fact that there are 2 of these ECPs to the left makes perfect sense, allowing for more emergency evacuation routes in the event of an emergency. The fact that the roads from these two ECPs coalesce into one point at the road appears to be for easier security for the two access points: this is most probably where the actual ECP for these two evacuation routes is.

The long, raised structure in the center of the facility resembles a blast wall, most probably constructed of dirt in between two steel walls. In conjunction to this wall, to the left, there are three small structures. These are probably munitions storage structures, or "igloos". There appear to be cement pads to the right of each structure, between the structure and the blast wall, along where the small road travels. This would indicate that that's where the door to each stucture is located. In the unintended detonation of a 1.1 or 1.2 explosive, or large quantity thereof, igloos are designed to blow up through their roofs (which are not nearly as reinforced as their sides and rear) and out through the door. In this situation, resulting overpressure and any debris is directed "harmlessly" up into the sky or through the doors and into the blast wall. The igloos are built perpindicular to the nearest structures outside the MSA. This fact again ties into that igloos are built to blow up and forward, not sideways or rearward.

The buildings to the right would most probably be munitions maintenance and assembly buildings (such as Inspection shop, Conventional Maintenance, Storage and Handling and most probably Line Delivery shops), along with possible inert equipment storage (such as inert training munitions, munition trailers and/or other munition handling equipment). They would most probably be located here as for protection from the blast wall would prove sufficient. K-factor (blast overpressure) limits designated by Air Force Technical Order 11A-1-1 are more tolerant for working locations within a bomb dump than exterior buildings, roadways, etc.

02 April 2000 - IKONOS 1-meter Imagery

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