The TIROS Command & Control Center Preservation Progress at InfoAge |
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Restoration of the TIROS Satellite Command and Control Center is a work in progress by InfoAge members.
Valdis Paupe and Bob Judge show students electric progress from spark gap wireless to satellite in the partially restored TIROS building.
The Former TIROS Command and Control Center is one of Camp Evans most historic buildings.
It is the birthplace of satellite based hurricane tracking. On April 9, 1960 the first photo of a swirl of clouds with a hole in the center was recieved from TIROS I and developed into a photograph in the building. A weather plane sent to the area of the unknown weather pattern discovered it was a hurricane. This was a major advance in meteorology that has saved millions of person from being killed when a hurricane strikes a coast with little warning as in the past.
Originally the building had a large 25' x 63' room filled with satellite control equipment and photo development equipment,
an office, two restrooms and a 14' x 14' utility room with an exterior entrance.
In the 1980s the large room was divided into 4 offices, a hallway and a large east room. This estimated date is based upon the type of wiring, light fixtutes, sheetrock and milled 2 x 4s found the new walls. When the new walls and offices were upgraded in the 1990s the Army simply abandoned the original 1960 light fixtures in place and hid them with a drop ceiling. Paperwork left in the building give us indication the last use of the building was for a covert electronic sensor project - REMBASS.
When the Camp Evans was closed in 1993 the hallway and the offices had carpet, the rooms were clean and all painted surfaces were intact.
The building needed fresh paint but it was ready for reuse. The heat plant was old and obsolete, but it worked.
Finally in 2004 the building was transfered to Wall Township for InfoAge to preserve.
The freshly painted TIROS Ground Control and Command Center showing the conduit pipes to the TLM-18 Antenna.
The old roof has been removed. The materials for the new roof are in the forground.
The new roof is on and not the clean-up begins.
The new roof is completed, thanks to Royal Roofing and a matching grant
from the Monmouth County Historical Commission.
THE INTERIOR WORK......
As the TIROS I and II satellite Ground Conrol Center, 1960 was the most historically significant period of use for this building we requested
and were given approval by National Park Service architectual historians to remove all post TIROS walls and treatments.
We have accomplished the removal of the additional walls, the 1990s drop ceiling, 1980s accoustic ceiling tiles and all later added electric. We have also repainted the main room in its 1960s color scheme. The room looks nearly identical to 1960s photos of it in National Geographic, Army Photos and NASA reports.
We installed a new forced hot-air heat and an air conditioning system. With a grant from the Monmouth County Historical Commission a contractor replaced the roof shingles and repaired roof damage in March 2007. We also have to repair the original restrooms. We plan to add an additional restroom in the old utility room for mobility challenged visitors and volunteers.
The work has begun. We separated the 2 x 4s for reuse in future projects. The metal and wire will be recycled.
The sheetrock, tiles and other debris will be disposed of in dumpsters.
Larry Wilkins and Ron Oleander at work in a view of the east end of 9162.
A westward view toward the restrooms and office. Note the electrical panel and duct work to be removed.
More work and more photos to follow.....
This is now the BRAC office left the TIROS building. Not really really for reuse....
While BRAC had control of the building the water main was broken and not repaired when an underground storage tank was removed. When the BRAC office turned off the electric there was very little water in the building so some fungus developed when the restroom pipes burst. But, the building did not become infested with fungus. On the not so good side, the BRAC office allowed the building to be used by law enforment groups to practice drug raids. Walls were damaged and doors kicked is as the groups were told the building would be demolished.
From 1998 onward the BRAC office refused our repeated requests to paint the exterior of the buildings when the paint was in fair condition.
They stated that there were tripping hazards so they could not grant access to the site. We offered to sign hold-harmless agreements and sent them our proof of insurance.
Finally the condition of the exterior paint got so bad a DEP official put into writing that the amount of paint chips on the ground
could be considered a lead-based paint spill. He was considering invoking the spill act. We (InfoAge) were then allowed to remediate the conditions.
During the many issues with BRAC our director had taken the training to qualify as a Lead-based paint worker. He held a State of NJ Lead Based Paint Worker Certification.
Now that BRAC had a problem they allowed us access. In the interest of saving the site we did the work for free. The Wall Kiwanis Club
donated money for paint and equipment.
Our director repainted the two large buildings and three small structures on the Diana site. As the only qualified person he had to work alone.
He collected three 55 gallon drums of chips for proper disposal by BRAC.
A non-profit cleaning up after BRAC.
The original TIROS era office with some furnature and custom alterations arranged especially for us by BRAC.
We removed the walls seen on the right of this photo. Note the mold stained sheetrock near the men's rest room
.
This
is a look into the mold infested men's room. We have
cleaned and disinfected this room.
The door is at an odd angle after battering ram practice during a simulated drug raid.
The ladies room was worse. The sheet rook had mushrooms growing on it.
The sheetrook and fixtures were removed and disposed of.
A look eastward down the 1980s center hall. Note no mold and the original
1960s recessed light fixtures abondoned inplace. This has all been removed.
The center front office. We removed the wall in the back and left. The wall
on the right is the exterior wall. Note the acoustic ceiling tiles and later
air conditioning duct work. That is gone too.
This is a view of the front entrance double doorway.
This the the original overhead door from the TIROS days in 1960. When one examines the 1960 NASA and
photos published in National Geographic you can find this door, the door rails, the lights and the ceiling vents
Page updated May 15,
2008
page created December
24,
2006 The door is at an odd angle after battering ram practice during a simulated drug raid.
The ladies room was worse. The sheet rook had mushrooms growing on it.
The sheetrook and fixtures were removed and disposed of.
A look eastward down the 1980s center hall. Note no mold and the original
1960s recessed light fixtures abondoned inplace. This has all been removed.
The center front office. We removed the wall in the back and left. The wall
on the right is the exterior wall. Note the acoustic ceiling tiles and later
air conditioning duct work. That is gone too.
This is a view of the front entrance double doorway.
This the the original overhead door from the TIROS days in 1960. When one examines the 1960 NASA and
photos published in National Geographic you can find this door, the door rails, the lights and the ceiling vents