Re: Magnesium-thorium question

[mark.hogue@srs.gov]

Mike, 

I have a couple of suggestions:

<<The skin on the boosters is made from HK31A-H24 Magnesium-
thorium, less than 3% thorium according to what
we've been told.>> 

Here, I think the public would want to know that the alloy being used is chosen to give the missile the greatest chances of success. What if you used an alloy without thorium? Wouldn't that present more of a hazard due to more possibility of the missile shoot not going as planned?

<<A statement has been made, but not signed off to,
that the "alloy's radioactivity measures less than 80
microcuries and is handled as a normally occurring
radioactive material.">> 

You mean NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material).

<<There have been other 
statements bandied about to the effect that the
radiation from this is less than that from a watch.>>

What should be explained is any pathway for the public to be exposed to the radiation. Should the material be vaporized, for example, what respirable concentrations would likely present themselves to the public? I imagine that this would be negligeable, but a small calculation should back that up. You can then put that miniscule potential radiation into perspective with natural background, etc. And be sure to state clearly that it is safe, because that's all a lot of people will hear.