Director of Quality, Safety, and Mission Assurance for Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Randy Stone, visited U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Jan. 14-15 to view MDA's operations here.
Stone was accompanied by the Vice President for Quality Assurance at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Charlie Krisch.
Dr. Tim Hall, a scientific advisor to the Reagan Test Site, briefed the visitors on the capabilities and safety features of the range. The visitors also received a tour of Kwajalein's sensors and telemetry sites.
Stone and Krisch visited Meck to meet with the MDA and Lockheed Martin teams. Prior to going up on launch hill, the visitors received an operational safety briefing from Mike Van Cleave. Stone and Krisch also received a briefing from Keith Kerr, Lockheed Martin's chief engineer, on the upcoming mission, a tour of launch hill and the mission control areas.
The MDA and Lockheed Martin team members answered several questions posed about mission readiness and quality assurance. Mission analysis, corrosion prevention plans, contingency operations plans, mission safety, and flight readiness review plans were discussed.
Stone said, "It (the facility tour) was educational. It's a lot easier to understand not only how the system works, but to also understand the way the island works and what it takes to get a job done during the day. It's a lot easier to make a judgment or a decision when you have to when you know what's going on, vice trying to do it from 6,000 miles away.
He continued, "I'm glad I was able to get out here for this...Thank you and keep up the good work. Thank you for what you've done and like General Kaddis (former MDA Director) used to say 'I'm going to thank you for what you're going to do for us.'"
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