Michoud Plant Saturn Rocket Production Preparation
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- June 9, 1962
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DR. GEORGE CONSTAN, Michoud plant manager, hands work to his secretary, MRS. ALTHEA SCHWARZWALDER, after moving into a newly remodeled executive suite.
By BOB FRIEDLY
There still is little visible evidence in the sprawling Michoud plant that Saturn moon rockets are to be built there, but National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials noted this week that it won’t be long now.
Dr. George N. Constan, Michoud manager, summed up, "Gurtler-Hebert is just winding up the renovation. Facility-wise we are pretty much on schedule."
Go-Ahead Nears
By the middle of July Chrysler Corp. should be given the go-ahead to start fabrication of the Saturn C-1 first stage. It will be some weeks after that before there are pieces of metal on the Michoud floor that could be described as rocket parts.
The real activity is in long office buildings fronting the main plant body. This is where the army of builders, draftsmen and secretaries work.
The Boeing Company, one of the rocket builders contracted by NASA, moved part of its personnel to the second floor of Claiborne Towers on Canal St. as a building expansion move.
In addition, the space agency acquired the vacated Tidewater oil company building in Slidell and may move other administrative offices there in the middle of this month.
There is talk of constructing a new office building near the plant.
The Michoud Saturn plant has 1025 employees at present, not counting the renovation workers. The Chrysler firm has about 600, a number more than half work for Chrysler, 25 per cent are divided evenly between Boeing and Mason-Rust, and 50 are NASA personnel.
Master plan includes cafeteria, shops, and other support employees.