and the manufacturing of explosives for use in the atomic bomb's implosion mechanism. Additionally, the Salt Wells Pilot Plant at Inyokern was developed with Caltech scientists in response to concerns about the safety of explosive production at Los Alamos and began producing high explosives just days before the Trinity Test in July 1945. Early in the war, Caltech scientists, including Lauritsen's son, Thomas Lauritsen, worked on various rocket designs at the Kellogg Radiation Laboratory. These rockets, including the "Tiny Tim" and the "Mighty Mouse," were used in critical military operations, from naval engagements to land assaults. By the end of the war, Caltech had essentially become an extension of the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Ordnance, with its rocket research providing important technology to U.S. combat capabilities.
=== Project Vista ===
From April to December 1951, Caltech was the host of a federal classified study, Project Vista. The selection of Caltech as host for the project was based on the university's …
