Michael J. Colpack
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
EE, 1960

While a student at Auburn, I was co-op student working at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville Alabama. One of the projects I worked on was the testing Hawk missile system. We needed to come up with a large current load to simulate the missile launcher for testing the battery control unit. I came up with a salt water bath load that could dissipate the required amperage and the test was run and completed. The connecting paddles were almost dissolved but the test was completed successfully. Later at Auburn when I informed Professor Noneaker of this method of sinking a large current, his first question was "didn't the chlorine gas by product bother us?" I almost fainted!!! Since we were not out in the cold where the test was taking place, we had no idea that a deadly gas was being generated. We were very fortunate that it was cold. Thanks to Professor Noneaker I always think a problem solution through to the unobvious.