Apix, Florida was a former rocket testing facility created as part of Project Suntan during the Space Race, including a fake town in Palm Beach County, Florida, the primary feature of which was an alleged fertilizer plant set among the surrounding swamplands. Very little details have been revealed about the rocket testing facility.
Testing the XLR-115 hydrogen fueled rocket engine at the Florida Research and Development Center in Apix
Starting in 1945, there was heavy research into hydrogen as a fuel source.[1] The Air Force wanted to create a faster plane for spying than the U-2.
Overview and Alleged Location
In 1956, Pratt and Whitney along with the United States Air Force decided to buy a 10 square mile piece of land in Western Palm Beach County, and development plans included a main street called Hawthorn Road surrounded by housing plats (lots).
Apix was alleged to exist several miles west of Jupiter, near the intersection of the western terminus of West Indiantown Road and State Road 710 on the Beeline Highway. Apix never had a downtown area, post office, population, or government. Apix appeared on some contemporary maps from 1959 and 1960; one map listed "Apix" alongside location markers for the Pratt & Whitney plant, William R. Gwinn Airport, and Palm Beach Racetrack.[2][3]
Security
At the time, the western part of Palm Beach County was sparsely populated. Authorities said it was a fertilizer producing town to cover up the operation so that residents would not be suspicious. The name Apix meant Air Products Inc, Experimental. There was also commercial protection to make sure that potential speculators and buyers stayed clear. Land nearby was also platted and had a census marker. Pratt & Whitney bought 9,000 acres near what would today be the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Refuge. For buyers to not know it was United Aircraft (now United Technologies) a third party had bought a ranch and gave it to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission which then was given to the U.S. Air Force.
Testing
The project's main goal was to test liquid hydrogen as a fuel source for rockets which had been in interest of the United States government since the late 1940s.[4] Apix was part of what was called Project Suntan that was carried out in extreme secrecy from 1956–1958. The plant could liquefy Hydrogen at approximately rate of a half a ton a day, costing $6.2 million a day ($53,580,135.23 in 2017)[5] and would be transported in an underground pipeline to a testing facility. A second plant was built in 1959 and had a capacity of 30 tons and cost about $27 million. In February 1959 the managers had decided that transporting liquid hydrogen in the underground pipeline took too much energy and decided to close it. Instead, they decided to ship hydrogen in insulated tanks on the Beeline Highway.[6]
References
^"Liquid Hydrogen as a Propulsion Fuel,1945-1959". Retrieved 14 March 2017.
apix, florida, former, rocket, testing, facility, created, part, project, suntan, during, space, race, including, fake, town, palm, beach, county, florida, primary, feature, which, alleged, fertilizer, plant, among, surrounding, swamplands, very, little, detai. Apix Florida was a former rocket testing facility created as part of Project Suntan during the Space Race including a fake town in Palm Beach County Florida the primary feature of which was an alleged fertilizer plant set among the surrounding swamplands Very little details have been revealed about the rocket testing facility Testing the XLR 115 hydrogen fueled rocket engine at the Florida Research and Development Center in Apix Contents 1 Background and overview 1 1 Background 1 2 Overview and Alleged Location 1 2 1 Security 1 2 2 Testing 2 ReferencesBackground and overview EditBackground Edit Starting in 1945 there was heavy research into hydrogen as a fuel source 1 The Air Force wanted to create a faster plane for spying than the U 2 Overview and Alleged Location Edit In 1956 Pratt and Whitney along with the United States Air Force decided to buy a 10 square mile piece of land in Western Palm Beach County and development plans included a main street called Hawthorn Road surrounded by housing plats lots Apix was alleged to exist several miles west of Jupiter near the intersection of the western terminus of West Indiantown Road and State Road 710 on the Beeline Highway Apix never had a downtown area post office population or government Apix appeared on some contemporary maps from 1959 and 1960 one map listed Apix alongside location markers for the Pratt amp Whitney plant William R Gwinn Airport and Palm Beach Racetrack 2 3 Security Edit At the time the western part of Palm Beach County was sparsely populated Authorities said it was a fertilizer producing town to cover up the operation so that residents would not be suspicious The name Apix meant Air Products Inc Experimental There was also commercial protection to make sure that potential speculators and buyers stayed clear Land nearby was also platted and had a census marker Pratt amp Whitney bought 9 000 acres near what would today be the J W Corbett Wildlife Refuge For buyers to not know it was United Aircraft now United Technologies a third party had bought a ranch and gave it to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission which then was given to the U S Air Force Testing Edit The project s main goal was to test liquid hydrogen as a fuel source for rockets which had been in interest of the United States government since the late 1940s 4 Apix was part of what was called Project Suntan that was carried out in extreme secrecy from 1956 1958 The plant could liquefy Hydrogen at approximately rate of a half a ton a day costing 6 2 million a day 53 580 135 23 in 2017 5 and would be transported in an underground pipeline to a testing facility A second plant was built in 1959 and had a capacity of 30 tons and cost about 27 million In February 1959 the managers had decided that transporting liquid hydrogen in the underground pipeline took too much energy and decided to close it Instead they decided to ship hydrogen in insulated tanks on the Beeline Highway 6 References Edit Liquid Hydrogen as a Propulsion Fuel 1945 1959 Retrieved 14 March 2017 https www youtube com watch v rVdyq7xIXGk Video source demonstrating that Apix appeared on at least SOME contemporary Florida road maps and is still searchable on Google Maps see 1 Apix Secret of phony town in Palm Beach County uncovered contents history nasa gov Retrieved 2017 03 12 CPI Inflation Calculator Retrieved 12 March 2017 Apix the town that never was mypalmbeachpost Retrieved 2017 03 12 This rocketry article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Apix Florida amp oldid 1129913425, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
