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112-540: In 2005, the U.S. Army transferred the former plant site to the Sunflower Redevelopment Group; in 2022, over 6,000 acres of the site were annexed into De Soto. The Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant was originally known as the Sunflower Ordnance Works . Established in 1941 on 10,747 acres (43.492 km), it was the world's largest smokeless powder plant. Among the over 10,000 acres of the site

224-451: A seismometer and heat flow probe on the surface of Mars to study its early geological evolution. This would bring new understanding of the solar system's terrestrial planets . ATK was awarded a contract to provide its UltraFlex solar arrays for the mission. ATK claims that UltraFlex will provide better performance than typical solar arrays used on spacecraft while accommodating ambitious requirements for low mass and small size. ATK entered

336-527: A "downtown" area for offices, high density commercial and civic uses, and land promised to The University of Kansas , Kansas State University and the City of De Soto, as well as land being reserved for the army reserves, parks and other public spaces. However, slow cleanup and exhausted funding delayed the completion to 2038. In 2019, congressional lawmakers representing Kansas urged the Army to accelerate cleanup efforts of

448-652: A 2022 Kansas Supreme Court ruling on a disagreement between Spring Hill and Olathe nullified most boundary agreements between Johnson County cities. Subsequently, in October 2022, De Soto initiated annexation of 2,800 acres south of the formerly agreed southernmost boundary with Gardner, at the behest of Sunflower Redevelopment Group, which the city argued took precedence since it was a voluntary annexation request. The 2020 United States census counted 6,118 people, 2,295 households, and 1,635 families in De Soto. The population density

560-449: A bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 22.4% of the population. 24.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 104.3 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that

672-532: A community engagement initiative. The flavor, Chocolate Chip , was chosen by the city's young residents during a special "Government Day" event at City Hall, reflecting the involvement of future leaders in local traditions. De Soto Days Festival - This annual event begins on the Thursday before Labor Day and runs until the holiday itself, making it the third longest Labor Day festival in the county. The fair has booths and three stages, entertaining patrons annually on

784-510: A consortium to develop a new engine nozzle for the Boeing 787 designed to make its operation more environmentally friendly. The nozzle was made from oxide-oxide ceramic matrix composite (CMC) and tested on the 787 ecoDemonstrator . Boeing's tests show that the nozzle is more heat resistant than previous models and lighter, allowing for potential gains in fuel efficiency. This was the largest part ever made from CMC. The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle

896-475: A facility for the production of nitroguanidine . This facility was the first of its kind in North America and began production in 1984 and continued until 1992, when the plant was again placed on standby. Nitroguanidine (NQ) is an essential component of triple-base gun propellant. In addition to being an oxidizer and energy carrier, it is loaded with hydrogen and this provides cooling in the gun tube which reduces

1008-566: A farmstead and placed on the Zimmerman farm at the northwest corner of the Kill Creek Road and K-10 interchange. The barn was historically called the White-Waitmann barn but after its erection in 2000, by contractors and community volunteers, it also became known as the Zimmerman barn. The barn was not only a piece of American history, but it became well known throughout the community because

1120-523: A mayor and five council members, with a council appointed president. The council meets the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m and the planning commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month. The De Soto City Council is an At-Large Representation , meaning the council serve the entire city, at-large, versus a single designated portion per member. City Hall is located at 32905 West 84th Street. An effort to recall Mayor Tim Maniez and City Councilmember Bill McDaniel from their positions

1232-441: A one-inch longer barrel, integral mount to increase first round hit probability by up to 10 percent, and dual recoil system to enhance accuracy and cope with future hotter propellants. It can have a next-round select, linkless feed system. The 30 mm chain gun can fire Mk310 Programmable Air Burst Munition rounds to attack targets in defilade. The United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command helped enhance

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1344-481: A point that people were living in the chicken house and sleeping under quilts on the ground where the current Scout House is sitting on Wea Street. It was so unbearable that rooms that were rented out "by the shift" that other people would bring in trailers and tents. In 1955, the housing units transferred to Sunflower Ordnance Worker (SOW), then sold to private buyers. In 1961, Sunflower was sold to Quick Way Homes and renamed as Clearview City . In 1998, Clearview City

1456-621: A population increase from 400 to 1,000 persons in under a year." This sudden overflow in population put a great strain on housing and other resources in the city; however, many original residents prospered during this time, buying property and starting new businesses. Production flowed steadily at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant until the plant went on standby in March 1948, with small-scale production following shortly after until its closure in 1993. In 1943, nearby Sunflower Village

1568-407: A product of ATK since 2002. The AN/AAR-47 passively detects missiles by their infrared signature, and uses algorithms to differentiate between incoming missiles and false alarms. Newer versions also have laser warning sensors and are capable of detecting a wider range of threats. After processing the nature of the threat, the system gives the pilot an audio and visual warning, and tells the direction of

1680-521: A renovated ammunition production facility at the LCAAP in December 2014. The renovations improved efficiency and quality control. The Army and ATK invested $ 11 million to modernize "Building 65" for the production of 20 millimeter ammunition. These large caliber rounds are usually fired from automatic cannons mounted on ground vehicles and aircraft. Building 65 housed 20 millimeter round production until 1997, when it

1792-455: A short-term plan to improve roadway and utility access to the area, as well as establishing a TIF (tax increment financing) district, in an effort to encourage development. In early 2022, the Kansas legislature passed a bill, referred to as APEX, signed by Governor Laura Kelly , providing $ 800 million dollars in tax breaks and incentives on a proposed $ 4 billion project by a company whose identity

1904-410: A tax-free basis. The spinoff was immediately followed by an all-stock merger of ATK's Aerospace and Defense Groups with Orbital Sciences; Orbital shareholders received ATK common stock as consideration. The combined company was named Orbital ATK Inc. On October 28, 2014, ATK announced that it would be seeking approval of issuance of shares to Orbital stockholders on December 9. ATK responded to news of

2016-611: A warhead for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System . The contract includes engineering, manufacturing, and development. ATK's work will focus on system performance, warhead qualification, and producibility. In 2012, ATK was selected by the United States Army to continue operating and maintaining the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) for an additional seven to ten years. The LCAAP

2128-527: Is 200 rounds per minute. The weapon has an effective range of 3,000 metres (9,800  ft ), depending on the type of ammunition used. The Mk44 Bushmaster II is a 30 mm chain gun also manufactured by ATK. It is a derivative of the 25 mm M242 referenced above and uses 70% of the same parts as the M242. The Mk 44 Bushmaster II is the standard primary armament of the Bionix-II AFV currently in service with

2240-566: Is a spacecraft intended to carry a crew of up to four astronauts to destinations beyond- low Earth orbit . Currently under development by NASA, for launch on the Space Launch System , Orion will facilitate human exploration of the Moon , asteroids and Mars . ATK developed the launch abort motor that sits on top of the Orion capsule. This device would pull the capsule and its crew up and away from

2352-489: Is a United States Army program to develop a precision guidance system for existing 155 mm artillery shells . The prime contractor is Alliant Techsystems and the project team includes Interstate Electronics Corporation. In operation the PGK will screw into the nose of the projectile much like the existing fuze . However, as well as the fuzing function it will provide a GPS guidance package and control surfaces to correct

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2464-496: Is a federally owned facility in Independence, Missouri. It was built by Remington Arms in 1941 to manufacture and test small-caliber ammunition for the army. As of July 2007, the plant produced about 1.5 billion rounds of ammunition per year. The LCAAP still tests ammunition and is the largest producer of small-arms ammunition for the U.S. military. ATK has operated the LCAAP since April 2001. The United States Army and ATK opened

2576-537: Is designed for deep space operations, including missions to Mars. After ATK finishes testing, avionics will be delivered to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center . The first launch is expected in 2017. ATK produces composite stringers and frames for the Airbus A350 XWB-1000 variant at its facility in Clearfield, Utah. As of 2014, ATK has delivered more than 10,000 components to Airbus . ATK participated in

2688-421: Is expected to be completed by 2028. Recently, the northern portions of the plant have been declared clean and cleared for development. In 2021, following extensive cleanup and decontamination of site, clearance for development was granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the northernmost portion of the site, and De Soto initiated annexation of 6,376 acres of the site. Shortly thereafter, De Soto established

2800-565: Is expected to be completed in July 2024. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from the National Park Service 38°56′01″N 95°00′27″W  /  38.9336°N 95.0076°W  / 38.9336; -95.0076 De Soto, Kansas De Soto / d ə ˈ s oʊ t oʊ / is a city along the Kansas River , in Johnson and Leavenworth counties in

2912-466: Is publicly traded and headquartered in Utah. The group provided: ATK's outdoor products brands included: Federal Premium Ammunition , Bushnell , Savage Arms , BLACKHAWK!, Primos, Final Approach, Uncle Mike's, Hoppe's, RCBS , Alliant Powder, CCI , Speer, Champion Targets, Gold Tip Arrows, Weaver Optics, Outers, Bolle, Cebe, and Serengeti. As of 2013, ATK's sporting business accounted for nearly 45 percent of

3024-452: Is remembered as one of the town's pioneer landowners and the builder of Abbot Hall. Today, Abbot Hall is one of two town museums. De Soto was incorporated as a city on October 1, 1897. With the construction of the 9,080-acre (3,670 ha) Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant south of De Soto, the city's population boomed in the early 1940s during World War II . In May 1943, a Kansas City Star article reported "a town rapidly growing, with

3136-450: Is used to study carbon dioxide concentrations and distributions in the atmosphere. ATK produced the OCO-2's Variable Conductance Heat Pipes, an important part of its thermal control system, solar arrays, and solar array substrates. InSight is a robotic lander mission to Mars originally planned for launch in March 2016. The mission's objective is to place a stationary lander equipped with

3248-566: The Atlas V and Delta IV starting in 2014 and continuing into early 2018. There is an option for additional deliveries in 2017 and 2018. ATK will provide fairings, payload adapters and diaphragms, interstages, nose cones, and thermal/aerodynamic protection components. All the structures will be produced at ATK's Large Structures Center of Excellence in Iuka, Mississippi . ATK produces avionics for NASA's Space Launch System program. The Space Launch System

3360-621: The Korean War . Once again, on June 30, 1952, the operation of the plant was contracted out to Hercules. This time the plant produced more than 166 million pounds (75,000,000 kg) of propellants, with employment of up to 5,374. The plant then went into standby again in June 1960. The name of the plant was changed from the Sunflower Ordnance Works to Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant (SFAAP) on August 1, 1963. Two years later, on August 20, 1965,

3472-826: The Singapore Army , the KTO Rosomak in Polish service as well as that of the CV90 AFVs in Finnish , Norwegian and Swiss service. Some United States Navy vessels, such as the new San Antonio -class amphibious transport dock are armed with the Bushmaster II for surface threat defense. The XM813 Bushmaster, also produced by ATK Defense, is based on the Mk44 and is offered as an upgrade for M1126 Stryker and M2 Bradley . Improvements include

Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant - Misplaced Pages Continue

3584-695: The Treaty of St Louis in 1825, the Shawnee were forcibly relocated from Cape Girardeau to southeastern Kansas near the Neosho River . Only the Black Bob band of Shawnee resisted removal, however by 1828 they too migrated west and settled in northeastern Kansas in and around De Soto along the Kansas River . Later in the 19th century, many cultures of Native Americans arrived in the area after being pushed west by European-American pressure following colonial expansion and later

3696-582: The U.S. state of Kansas , and part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area . As of the 2020 census , the population of the city was 6,118, and the 2021 estimate is 6,380. The land that would become De Soto was part of a large territory extending to present-day St. Louis that was occupied by the Osage people, who were relocated from east of the Mississippi River in the upper Midwest. After

3808-545: The 3 operating days. Winesong at Riverfest - A cultural attraction which began in 2012, is a wine festival hosted by the De Soto Rotary Club annually in early June. The event features wineries from the Midwest, and includes samples, appetizers, music and art competitions. De Soto is a Kansas city of the second-class . ZIP Codes that serve De Soto are 66018, 66019, 66025, and 66061. The De Soto government consists of

3920-575: The Air Force occurred due to concerns about whether the RD-180 would be available in the future due to increasing tensions with Russia. The Graphite-Epoxy Motor (GEM) is a solid rocket motor produced by ATK using epoxy composite casing . GEMs are used as boosters for the Delta II , Delta III , and Delta IV launch vehicles . The use of composite materials allows for booster casings several times lighter than

4032-677: The De Soto City Council once again motioned to fund upcoming issues of Discovering De Soto for the year. The Kansas City Star and the Lawrence Journal-World both cover and deliver to De Soto. De Soto is served by several highways: De Soto was settled in 1828 as a city along the Kansas River. Several years later, in 1857, the Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe Railway constructed track through northern portions of town, parallel to

4144-516: The De Soto Downtown Library. The De Soto Explorer was started in 1998 and served as De Soto's main news source for 14 years, until the closure of the printing facility and website in 2012. In the fall of 2015, Discovering De Soto magazine released its first preview edition. In 2017, the De Soto City Council motioned to fund issues of Discovering De Soto in order to distribute the magazine by mail and around local businesses. In 2018,

4256-589: The Delta II rocket as a subcontractor for the United Launch Alliance. As of June 2014, ATK has produced 987 solid rocket boosters for Delta II missions. These strap-on boosters, known as GEM-40s, add 434,000 pounds to the Delta II's maximum thrust. The GEM-40s can be used in groups of three, four, and nine depending on the weight of the payload. The composite structures supplied by ATK increase performance by reducing weight. In addition to composite booster cases for

4368-614: The FA-18C/D, FA-18E/F, EA-18G, and Tornado ECR aircraft and later on the F-35 . The AGM-88E development program was proceeded on schedule and did not exceed its budget. In August 2014, the United States Navy awarded a full-rate production contract to ATK to produce to AARGM. Under this contract ATK will also provide captive air training missiles for both the United States and Italy. This is

4480-586: The GEM-40s, ATK produces a 10-foot wide composite payload fairing that covers and protects satellites during launch. ATK also produces the titanium diaphragm propellant tanks and pressurant tank for each Delta II vehicle. ATK produces Graphite Epoxy Motors and numerous other components for the Delta IV rocket. For example, for the Delta IV that carried the Wideband Global SATCOM satellite (WGS-6) into orbit for

4592-633: The Kansas City metro area, trailing only Spring Hill. After the closure of the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant in 1993, plans for potential development of the 15.5 square-mile lot south of De Soto began to receive attention. After several abandoned proposals for large-scale developments and attractions, a master use plan was adopted by the authorities of Olathe, De Soto, Johnson County, and Sunflower Redevelopment Group. The master plan called for high density housing, major commercial zoning,

Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant - Misplaced Pages Continue

4704-553: The Kansas River during the flood. Most of the downtown area was completely flooded, with over 4 feet (1.2 m) of standing water in some places. Since the 2008 recession came to an end, growth in De Soto has steadily picked up, with substantial commercial development in the K-10 Business District. In 2019, the Kansas City Star reported that De Soto was, and is expected to remain the second fastest-growing city in

4816-539: The PMBSS holds the telescope's main instruments, including its mirrors. The BSF was designed and manufactured at ATK's facilities in Magna, Utah. ATK designed and fabricated more than 10,000 parts for the PMBSS. PMBSS is made primarily of lightweight graphite, but numerous other materials including invar , titanium , and other composite materials were used. ATK produces Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM) and largest composite fairings for

4928-521: The Sporting Group to create Vista Outdoor and the merger leading to the creation of Orbital ATK were completed on February 9, 2015. The companies began operations as separate entities on February 20, 2015. Orbital ATK was bought by Northrop Grumman in 2018. ATK was launched as an independent company in 1990 after Honeywell spun off its defense businesses to shareholders. The former Honeywell businesses had supplied defense products and systems to

5040-467: The Sporting Group to create Vista Outdoor and the merger leading to the creation of Orbital ATK were completed on February 9, 2015; both companies began operations as separate entities on February 20, 2015. Orbital ATK was bought by Northrop Grumman in June 2018. In July 2022, Northrop CEO Kathy Warden was forced to deny reports that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would break up

5152-452: The State of Kansas and Sunflower Redevelopment Group. The master plan calls for high density housing, major commercial zoning, a "downtown" area for offices, high density commercial and civic uses, and land promised to The University of Kansas , Kansas State University and the City of De Soto, as well as land being reserved for the army reserves, parks and other public spaces. However, the cleanup

5264-434: The Sunflower Ordnance Works produced more than 200 million pounds (91,000,000 kg) of propellants and employed as many as 12,067 people. The influx of workers dramatically changed the surrounding area, specifically De Soto. Within only a few weeks of the plant’s initial announcement, cars loaded with people and all of their belongings began to line the Kansas highways as people poured into the area seeking jobs. Initially, it

5376-549: The U.S. Air Force, ATK supplied the interstage connector that linked the Common Booster Core and the cryogenic second stage, a centerbody that connects the liquid oxygen tank to liquid hydrogen tanks, a thermal shield for the RS-68 engine, the composite payload fairing, and numerous pieces of hardware for securing the payload. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) is an American environmental science satellite. The spacecraft

5488-536: The U.S. and its allies for 50 years, including the first electronic autopilot for the B-17 aircraft's bombing missions during World War II. In 1995, ATK entered the aerospace market with the acquisition of the Hercules Aerospace Co., a division of Hercules Inc. Since then ATK has become a supplier of aerospace and defense products to the U.S. government and its allies, and to their contractors. It also carries on

5600-496: The XM813 mainly for safety and turret integration. By changing five parts, the gun caliber can be increased to 40 mm. As of November 2013, the XM813 was being tested at Aberdeen Proving Ground . ATK's Sporting Group offered products under several brands for sport-shooting enthusiasts, police, and military customers around the world. In 2015, this group was spun off to form the independent company, Vista Outdoor Inc. Vista Outdoor

5712-569: The acquisition of the ammunition businesses of Blount International. This acquisition made ATK the nation's largest manufacturer of ammunition. In 2009, ATK acquired Eagle Industries and in 2010 ATK acquired Blackhawk Industries Products Group Unlimited, LLC, diversifying into the security and law enforcement market. On 29 April 2014, ATK announced that its board unanimously approved a plan to create two independent, public companies composed of ATK's current businesses and Orbital Sciences Corporation. ATK spun off its Sporting Group to ATK shareholders on

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5824-550: The age of 18 and 8.4% of those ages 65 or over. As of the census of 2010, there were 5,720 people, 2,007 households, and 1,523 families residing in the city. The population density was 516.7 inhabitants per square mile (199.5/km ). There were 2,204 housing units at an average density of 199.1 per square mile (76.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 89.7% White , 0.8% African American , 0.8% Native American , 0.4% Asian , 5.9% from other races , and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.6% of

5936-417: The age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.23. In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.5% under

6048-459: The age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 46,426, and the median income for a family was $ 52,219. Males had a median income of $ 36,203 versus $ 31,682 for females. The per capita income for

6160-483: The agreement approval process. A part of the amended agreement is that should development not occur within the time frame, the city is not obligated to de-annex the property, as was the contingency with the original agreement. The annexation conflicted with a 1989 boundary agreement with Gardner , however a 2022 ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court on a case between Olathe and Spring Hill set a precedent, rendering

6272-484: The area, as well as establishing a TIF (tax increment financing) district, in an effort to encourage development of the largest remaining undeveloped plot of land in the region. Amidst wide speculation of a large-scale development potential on the site, in July 2022, Panasonic North America announced its intent to construct the company's first United States-based, and world's largest electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility. Panasonic's investment of over $ 4 billion into

6384-501: The city was $ 23,141. About 3.2% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over. Two local corporations, Great American Bank and Custom Foods, Inc., and one national corporation, Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs, are headquartered in De Soto. Huhtamaki Americas, Inc. and Engineered Air, two international enterprises, chose De Soto for their North American headquarters. In addition, Merck Animal Health, one of

6496-457: The city. The population density was 403.0/mi (155.6/km ). There were 1,730 housing units at an average density of 152.9/mi (59.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.80% White, 0.20% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.69% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.86% of the population. There were 1,642 households, out of which 41.7% had children under

6608-470: The clock as the communities struggled to keep up with demand. A rail spur to De Soto was completed in July 1942, allowing construction to speed up with the faster transit of materials. Bus companies added routes synced to Sunflower shifts to link Eudora and De Soto with Lawrence and Kansas City. Carpooling became a requirement for employees. By September 1942, it was clear that the plant needed to provide living quarters for some of its employees. By late 1942,

6720-688: The company a $ 50 million contract to complete engineering development and risk reduction tests as part of the Advanced Concept Booster Development for the Space Launch System (SLS). In April 2014, ATK received a contract from the United Launch Alliance , worth $ 178 million, to produce composite structures for the United States Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program. ATK will deliver parts for

6832-984: The competition to replace the Russian-made rocket engine on the Atlas V rocket in September 2014. The Atlas V is used to launch most U.S. military satellites. ATK entered the competition in response to a request for proposals from the Air Force Space and Missile Defense Center issued in 2013 for the RD-180 rocket engine. ATK already supplies rocket engines used in heavier version of the Atlas V. ATK says that solid rocket motors are more reliable and deliver more thrust. ATK said, "Solid rocket motors are optimal for first-stage performance as they provide high lift-off thrust, allowing for more payload margin. They also require less ground and launch infrastructure, resulting in fewer launch scrubs." The RD-180 engines use kerosene for fuel. The request from

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6944-471: The discovery of Gold in 1849. Between 1829 and 1854 almost thirty tribes were assigned reservations in what would become Kansas Territory. The Shawnee Methodist Mission was built in the De Soto area to minister to the tribe. A reserve was established in Kansas and soon other Shawnee from as far east as Ohio would join the reservation. The Agency of the Shawnee Indians, also known as Lexington, was located on

7056-627: The erosion rate of the tube metal so more rounds can be fired before refit. NQ was shipped out in fiberboard drums to another army facility where the triple-base is prepared, Alliant Techsystems won a contract on March 10, 1995 to market the use of the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant facilities. Also in February 1995, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed that the site be placed on the National Priorities List , but it

7168-581: The existing TIF district into the most recently annexed portion, excluding a small portion outside of the De Soto USD 232, with most of the original stipulations left intact. The city avoided extending the TIF district into the portion of recently annexed land that lie within Gardner-Edgerton USD 231, fearing that school board would consider veto of the TIF agreement in its entirety, requiring the city to restart

7280-424: The explosion occurred before ignition of the second stage. On November 17, 2014 ATK stated that its due-diligence assessment of its merger with Orbital Sciences undertaken in response to the failure of Orbital's Antares rocket found that the transaction remained in the best interest of its shareholders. Both firms rescheduled shareholder votes on the merger from December 9, 2014 to January 27, 2015. The spinoff of

7392-423: The explosion of a rocket built by Orbital in an earnings call . ATK stated it would conduct a "thorough evaluation of any potential implications resulting from the incident, including current operating plans, long-term strategies, and the proposed transaction". ATK also said that it was taking a careful look at its Castor 30XL motor, which is used in the second stage of Orbital's Antares rocket. ATK further noted that

7504-508: The extensive amount of land that was expected to be required. On July 13, 2022, state officials announced during a press conference that Panasonic was the company in question, and had selected De Soto for its planned $ 4 billion electric-vehicle battery manufacturing facility, to be constructed on the northernmost portion of the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. The facility is expected to provide 4,000 direct jobs, with an estimated 4,000 additional jobs by non-direct development related to

7616-404: The facility, and 16,000 construction jobs. It is the largest, costliest single development in Kansas' history, and will be one of the largest private employers in the state once operational, which is expected to be in July, 2024. As of January 2020, the largest employers in the city are: Between 1999 and 2000, a barn that had originally been built in the 1880s was moved piece by piece from

7728-467: The film as [REDACTED] I-70 . All Creatures Here Below is partially set in De Soto, but filmed in Kansas City. In the science fiction novel The Calculating Stars , the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant south of De Soto became the headquarters and primary spaceport of the International Aerospace Coalition due to its proximity to Kansas City , the new capital of the United States. In 2024, De Soto introduced an official ice cream flavor as part of

7840-411: The firing of city administrator Cynthia Wagner in February 2016. The matter was considered abandoned on November 7, 2017, when both parties were voted against additional terms. DeSoto is served by De Soto USD 232 public school district, which has two high schools: De Soto High School (located in De Soto) and Mill Valley High School (located in Shawnee). The Johnson County Library System maintains

7952-407: The flight of the shell. This is analogous to the addition of a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail-kit to a dumb iron bomb, creating a precision guided munition . Production started in 2009. The M242 Bushmaster is a 25 mm (25×137mm) chain-fed autocannon . It is used extensively by the United States and NATO forces in ground combat vehicles and watercraft. Originally, the weapon

8064-432: The government announced the construction of a housing project north of the plant, referred to as Clearview City. Following the war, the plant was placed on partial standby. And in March 1947, the contract with Hercules Powder Company expired. When the plant was placed on complete standby in June 1948, the government took over maintenance and security. In 1951, the Sunflower Ordnance Works was brought out of standby due to

8176-442: The incoming threat. It also sends a signal to the aircraft's infrared countermeasures system, which can then for example deploy flares. The development of the original AN/AAR-47(V)1 began in 1983 by Loral. ATK became a second production source in the mid 90s and eventually became the primary contractor. In 1998 ATK began production of the improved AN/AAR-47(V)2, which added laser warning functionality. The Precision Guidance Kit (PGK)

8288-409: The land was transferred to the Sunflower Redevelopment Group in 2005. At that time, about 3,700 acres were transferred clean, but much of that land was targeted for open space, buffer and parkland. Another plan that was set to open in 2002 was the newly announced Kansas Speedway and Kansas City Wizards stadiums. Recently, a master use plan has been adopted by the cities of Olathe, De Soto, Johnson County,

8400-436: The land. Additional funding allocation and priority from the Army led to the announcement that the portions of the lot closest to De Soto would be ready for development by 2020. In April 2021, unrelated to the development at the former ammunition plant site, Flint Logistics announced a proposal to construct a $ 500 million logistics center and high-density residential complex three miles west of De Soto, petitioning annexation of

8512-464: The largest remaining undeveloped plot of land in the region. In early 2022, the Kansas legislature passed a bill, referred to as APEX, signed by Governor Laura Kelly , providing $ 800 million in tax breaks and incentives on a proposed $ 4 billion project by a company whose identity was concealed by a non-disclosure agreement between the two parties. It was believed that this project was to either be developed in De Soto, or Pryor Creek, Oklahoma , due to

8624-457: The majority of De Soto is located in northwestern Johnson County at 38°58′45″N 94°58′7″W  /  38.97917°N 94.96861°W  / 38.97917; -94.96861 (38.9791709, -94.9685783), the golf course north of the Kansas River is located in southern Leavenworth County. De Soto mainly lies south of the Kansas River, the only city in Johnson County originally platted around

8736-565: The manufacture and sale of the Hercules gunpowder lines. In 2001, ATK acquired Thiokol , renaming it ATK Launch Systems in 2006, though it is still known within the industry by its original name. Thiokol was the sole manufacturer of the reusable Solid Rocket Motor used to launch the NASA Space Shuttle , which is being adapted for NASA's Space Launch System . Also in 2001, ATK entered the sporting and law enforcement ammunition market with

8848-422: The median household income was $ 60,568 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 23,498) and the median family income was $ 88,000 (+/- $ 30,645). Males had a median income of $ 53,722 (+/- $ 24,926) versus $ 25,460 (+/- $ 9,855) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $ 33,971 (+/- $ 8,262). Approximately, 3.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 4.0% of those under

8960-514: The merger. ATK's Aerospace Group covered space, defense and commercial aerospace products and capabilities. The group offered propulsion for space exploration, commercial launch vehicles and strategic and missile defense. ATK Aerospace was headquartered in Magna, Utah . It also specialized in: In November 2010, ATK was selected by NASA for potential contracts in heavy lift launch vehicle systems and other propulsion technologies. In 2012, NASA awarded

9072-410: The northernmost portion of the former plant. The facility is expected to provide 4,000 direct jobs, with an estimated 4,000 additional jobs by non-direct development related to the facility, and 16,000 construction jobs. It is the largest, costliest single development in Kansas' history, and will be one of the largest private employers in the state once operational. Construction began in December 2022, and

9184-492: The original annexation agreement unenforceable by Gardner. In November 2022, Sunflower Redevelopment Group renamed the site of the former ammunition plant to Astra Enterprise Park. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 11.20 square miles (29.00 km ), of which 11.07 square miles (28.67 km ) are land and 0.13 square miles (0.33 km ), or 1.15%, are water. While

9296-464: The owner, Darrel Zimmerman, allows the public to pay a fee and use the barn for events such as weddings, graduations, and other meetings. However, a fierce storm demolished the barn in May 2010. The barn was rebuilt in 2013, after it was determined that Zimmerman could not locate another historic-looking barn to move on the location. The Day After was filmed on [REDACTED] K-10 in De Soto, signed in

9408-494: The plant site to provide staff and construction workers with round-the-clock access. On December 15, 1942, “Trailer Town” opened on the plant grounds. Trailer Town provided basic necessities, including water and power, and a row of out-houses served the residents. This temporary community grew to 400-units and included a grocery store and school. The situation seemed to change overnight. In 1941, Eudora had no hotel or boarding house and only about seven vacant homes. Within three months,

9520-531: The plant was reactivated to aid the Vietnam War by producing in excess of 145 million pounds (66,000,000 kg) of propellants before ceasing operations in June 1971. While operating during this time, the plant employed up to 4,065 people. In 1972, the plant was returned to standby status. A major facility modernization program was started in August 1967. The program included the construction, between 1975 and 1979, of

9632-441: The population. There were 2,007 households, of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

9744-512: The property adjacent to the Johnson-Douglas County line. In 2021, following extensive cleanup and decontamination of site, clearance for development was granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the northernmost portion of the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. De Soto initiated annexation of 10 square miles, doubling the city's footprint. Shortly thereafter, De Soto established a short-term plan to improve roadway and utility access to

9856-495: The river. De Soto's train depot was constructed along a siding around 1860. In 1900, a railyard was constructed east of town to allow the switching of freight cars from Topeka to Kansas City . The yard consisted of seven rails along the main line and siding. Portions of the yard are still in use today to store unused freight cars. However, only three lines remain, as the others were removed to save on maintenance. Alliant Techsystems Alliant Techsystems Inc. ( ATK )

9968-714: The river. Four of the river's tributaries, Captain Creek, Kill Creek, Cedar Creek, Camp Creek end within the city limits. Considered by many locals to be an exurb , rather than a suburb , De Soto is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area , and it borders other communities on the eastern edges. These include Shawnee to the northeast, Lenexa to the east, and Olathe to the southeast. De Soto currently has annexation agreements with Olathe and Gardner , guaranteeing De Soto will be able to annex as far south as 127th Street and as far east as meeting Olathe at its western boundary. However,

10080-518: The rocket in the event of major fault on the launch pad or during ascent. ATK also developed numerous composite parts that provide heat protection for Orion. ATK worked with Northrop Grumman to produce the backplane support frame (BSF) for the James Webb Space Telescope. The BSF, center section, and wings form what is called the primary mirror backplane support system (PMBSS). The BSF is the primary load-bearing structure during launch and

10192-410: The site makes it the largest single private investment in Kansas' and Kansas City's history. In October 2022, Sunflower Redevelopment Group initiated an agreement with De Soto, which included voluntary annexation of an additional 2,800 acres of the former ammunition plant, completing annexation of the entire 17 square mile property. The agreement was an amendment to the original from 2021, extending

10304-468: The southern edge of the city. The city of De Soto was platted in the spring of 1857, named for sixteenth-century Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto . In 1858, John Possum, a Shawnee man, and Hattie Possum sold 80 acres (32 ha) to John F. Legate, S. Todd and Stratton and Williams for $ 1,200. The next sale was 80 acres to the De Soto Town Company in July 1861 for $ 1,176. Major James B. Abbot

10416-482: The steel casings of the Castor 4 solid rocket motors they replaced. The first flight of a GEM occurred in 1990 on a Delta II 7925. ATK's Defense Group produced ammunition, precision and strike weapons, missile-warning solutions and tactical rocket motors across air, sea and land-based systems. ATK Defense Group develops products and services for: As of April 2014, ATK had a three-year contract with Lockheed to develop

10528-523: The third contract for the AARGM won by ATK and it is worth $ 96.2 million. The AN/AAR-47 Missile Approach Warning System (MWS) is used on slow moving aircraft such as helicopters and military transport aircraft to notify the pilot of threats and to trigger the aircraft's countermeasures systems. Its main users are the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, but is also operated by other countries. Originally developed by Loral Space & Communications , it has been solely

10640-456: The town’s population had doubled to 1,800, and there were as many as 150 trailers placed in fields, yards, and other empty spaces. In the meantime, De Soto’s population had increased from 400 to over 1,000. In both De Soto and Eudora, homes rented out all available space, including garages, out-buildings, basements, and spare rooms. People slept in cars and tents as weather permitted. Restaurants, banks, laundry, and service stations were open round

10752-428: The world's leading manufacturers of animal health supplies, selected De Soto for one of its four U.S. manufacturing facilities. Rehrig Pacific, a plastics manufacturer, chose De Soto to house their Midwestern U.S. operations. In 2019, Biodesix, a lung cancer research company, opened a testing and research laboratory in De Soto. In 2021, following extensive cleanup and decontamination of site, clearance for development

10864-428: Was 16.92% (1,035) of the population. Of the 2,295 households, 35.4% had children under the age of 18; 57.2% were married couples living together; 21.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 23.2% of households consisted of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.8 and the average family size was 3.4. The percent of those with

10976-436: Was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.25. The median age in the city was 35.4 years. 28.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 9.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.2% male and 49.8% female. As of the census of 2000, here were 4,561 people, 1,642 households, and 1,246 families residing in

11088-500: Was 543.6 per square mile (209.9/km ). There were 2,462 housing units at an average density of 218.7 per square mile (84.5/km ). The racial makeup was 79.88% (4,887) white or European American (75.99% non-Hispanic white ), 0.92% (56) black or African-American , 1.0% (61) Native American or Alaska Native , 0.67% (41) Asian , 0.0% (0) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian , 7.18% (439) from other races , and 10.36% (634) from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race

11200-464: Was an American aerospace and arms manufacturer headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia . The company operated across 22 states, Puerto Rico , and internationally. ATK revenue in fiscal year 2014 was about US$ 4.8 billion. On April 29, 2014, ATK announced that it would spin off its Sporting Group and merge its Aerospace and Defense Groups with Orbital Sciences Corporation . The spinoff of

11312-458: Was annexed by the city of De Soto, boosting the city's population by 339 people. In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River and other surrounding areas of the central United States, known as the Great Flood of 1951 . De Soto, along the south side of the river, was severely damaged. The river crest at De Soto was 42.3 feet (12.9 m), the highest recorded on

11424-454: Was announced that 4,000-6,000 employees would be expected to live in surrounding areas and commute to the plant. Initially, most of the staff would reside in Lawrence, where the Army and Hercules officials set up operations. Following the initial construction announcement, Lawrence set up housing and transportation committees to facilitate support to the plant. Soon after, trailers were added at

11536-410: Was built to house workers for nearby Sunflower Ordnance Works. The west side "Old Village" had 853 dwellings in 1943, and the east side "New Village" had 580 pre-fab units that was completed by 1945. Housing, a school and traffic were filled and overflowing. Highway 10, the main street, is now 83rd Street. As people came in, it was getting harder to find room and places to room, board, and to dwell in, to

11648-536: Was concealed by a non-disclosure agreement between the two parties. It was believed that this project was to either be developed on the site, or in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma , due to the extensive amount of land that was expected to be required. On July 13, 2022, state officials announced during a press conference that Panasonic was the company in question, and had selected De Soto for its planned $ 4 billion electric-vehicle battery manufacturing facility, to be constructed on

11760-590: Was designed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas . It is an externally powered, chain driven, single-barrel weapon which may be fired in semi-automatic, burst, or automatic modes. It is fed by a metallic link belt and has dual-feed capability. The term "chain gun" derives from the use of a roller chain that drives the bolt back and forth. The gun can destroy lightly armored vehicles and aerial targets, such as helicopters and slow-flying aircraft. It can also suppress enemy positions such as exposed troops, dug-in positions, and occupied built-up areas. The standard rate of fire

11872-472: Was granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the northernmost portion of the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. De Soto initiated annexation of 6,376 acres, increasing the city's footprint from 7,400 acres to 13,776 acres, nearly doubling in size. Shortly thereafter, De Soto established a short-term plan to improve roadway and utility access to the area, as well as establishing a TIF (tax increment financing) district, in an effort to encourage development of

11984-612: Was launched in February 2016. Recall supporters submitted their petition applications against Maniez and McDaniel to the Johnson County Elections Board on February 18, 2016. Judy Macy and other De Soto residents filed petitions against Maniez and McDaniel due to concerns about meeting decorum. The petition against Maniez noted his lack of control over meetings, while the McDaniel's petition cited argumentative and negative behavior. Recall organizers also expressed frustration with

12096-487: Was moved to Building 3. About 50 people are employed on this line. The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is an upgrade to the AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM). The AARGM is the result of cooperation between the United States and Italy. It is produced by ATK. In September 2013, ATK delivered the 100th AARGM to the U.S. Navy. It will be initially integrated onto

12208-533: Was never listed. Early in 1998, SFAAP was declared excess by the U.S. Army , and the General Services Administration began the process of selling the site. As of October 1, 2001, the Army changed to a maintenance contractor and reduced the number of buildings used to an office building, an environmental laboratory, the old guard headquarters as a records repository, and the guard shack at the main gate. The Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant rail system

12320-450: Was operated under contract by Hercules, Inc. The system included 59 miles of track, with rails ranging in size from 85 to 100 pounds (per yard) connecting with BNSF Railway, and the engine house was Building 501. Operations were conducted from Monday through Friday, 0800 to 1600 with a GE 80-ton locomotive numbered US Army 1662. Formerly assigned to Letterkenny Army Depot, PA, the locomotive went from Sunflower AAP to McAlester AAP, OK, where it

12432-589: Was reported to being shipped to Seneca Army Depot in New York, in October 1999. When Seneca AD closed, the locomotive was sold to the Dominican Republic . All of the track at Sunflower AAP was pulled up following the plant's closure. After the closure of the plant in 1993, plans for potential development of the 15.5 square-mile lot south of De Soto began to make rounds around locals, plans for an Oz Entertainment amusement park consumed seven futile years, after which

12544-526: Was the former community of Prairie Center. The entire town was purchased by the U.S. government, and razed. Many of the residents and cemetery plots were transferred to Eudora and De Soto. Although owned by the U.S. government, the plant was operated by the Hercules Powder Company under a contract signed on May 11, 1942. Construction then began immediately and was followed by the first production of propellant 10 months later. During World War II ,

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