RSL Limited Area Sentry Station (LASS)

(Excerpt from Historic American Engineering Record, HAER No.

ND-9-U, Limited Area Sentry Station, Remote Sprint Launch Site #1, Building 1101
ND-9-Y, Limited Area Sentry Station, Remote Sprint Launch Site #2, Building 2101
ND-9-AC, Limited Area Sentry Station, Remote Sprint Launch Site #3, Building 3101
ND-9-AG, Limited Area Sentry Station, Remote Sprint Launch Site #4, Building 4101)

Significance:

Similar to the Limited Access Sentry Station (LASS) at the Missile Site Radar (MSR) site, this station controlled the sally-port gates that permitted entrance into the Remote Sprint Launch (RSL) Site facility.

Description:

The LASS is a one story, concrete building (2,259 ft²) of permanent construction that had electric, water, and sewer utilities, as well as heating and exhaust units. The roof is suspended concrete slab with elastomeric roofing, and the floor is slab on grade. The LASS is considered "soft" (nonhardened) and expendable under an environment of nuclear weapons effects.

In July 1977, the LASS at RSL 4 was used by the Federal Aviation Agency and the Defense Nuclear Agency to test simulated terrorist bomb blast effects; interior damage was only slight, with no structural damage. The tests were successful in developing criteria for hardening baggage storage and locker ares of airport terminals to contain the explosion effects of small expedient bombs.

History:

The LASS was designed by the Ralph M. Parsons Co. Construction by Woerfel Corp. - Towne Realty, Inc. Construction dates and approximate costs:

RSL 1, LASS 1101: Began 9 May 1972, completed 10 August 1973, cost $50,000.
RSL 2, LASS 2101: Began 22 July 1971, completed 15 June 1973, cost $50,000.
RSL 3, LASS 3101: Began 9 May 1972, completed 2 July 1973, cost $50,000.
RSL 4, LASS 4101: Began 9 May 1972, completed 24 August 1973, cost $50,000.