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Accidental Orion?



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 20th 03, 02:41 AM
Parallax
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Default Accidental Orion?

I recently read somewhere a story about one of the first underground
nuclear tests called Bernallilo in which the vertical shaft was capped
with a massive steel plug. After the shot which was intentionally
vented to the atmosphere, that the steel cap wasn't found.
Calculations indicated that its velocity far exceeded earth escape.
Apocryphal or plausible? A search on underground nuclear testing
reveals nothing?
  #2  
Old October 20th 03, 06:02 AM
Henry Spencer
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In article ,
Parallax wrote:
I recently read somewhere a story about one of the first underground
nuclear tests called Bernallilo in which the vertical shaft was capped
with a massive steel plug. After the shot which was intentionally
vented to the atmosphere, that the steel cap wasn't found.
Calculations indicated that its velocity far exceeded earth escape.
Apocryphal or plausible? A search on underground nuclear testing
reveals nothing?


Half-apocryphal. According to people who were there, the shaft (a steel
tube) was capped with a welded-on steel plate -- not terribly massive --
as an "oh, what the hell" afterthought. A quick back-of-the-envelope
calculation suggested that its *initial* velocity might exceed escape
velocity. This was not verified in detail, nor was any attempt made to
determine whether the plate would survive passage through the atmosphere.
The plate was gone after the test, but its exact fate was not determined.
(One film frame showed a blur that might have been the plate being blown
off -- not really enough data to deduce anything from.)
--
MOST launched 30 June; first light, 29 July; 5arcsec | Henry Spencer
pointing, 10 Sept; first science, early Oct; all well. |
  #3  
Old October 20th 03, 06:55 AM
Rusty Barton
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Default Accidental Orion?

On 19 Oct 2003 18:41:17 -0700, (Parallax)
wrote:

I recently read somewhere a story about one of the first underground
nuclear tests called Bernallilo in which the vertical shaft was capped
with a massive steel plug. After the shot which was intentionally
vented to the atmosphere, that the steel cap wasn't found.
Calculations indicated that its velocity far exceeded earth escape.
Apocryphal or plausible? A search on underground nuclear testing
reveals nothing?



From the Encyclopedia Astronautica:


http://www.astronautix.com/chrono/19573.htm

"1957 Aug 10 -
Claimed first manmade object to escape from earth Nation: USA.
Payload: Steel Metal Cover.
In the summer of 1957 physicist Bob Brownlee attempted to 'contain'
the blast effects of an atomic explosion from a device placed at the
bottom of a 500 foot vertical shaft in the Nevada desert. A
four-inch-thick steel plate weighing 'several hundred pounds' is
placed over the hole (diameter not specified). This blew off as
expected in the blast and was seen in films to depart the area at six
times escape velocity . Brownlee never publicly challenged the
Soviet's claim (to having launched the 1st Earth satellite.
References: 92 ."

(# 92) - Project "Thunderwell", Air & Space Smithsonian Feb-Mar 1992.




From the The "Nuclear Weapon Archive" more extensive info:


http://gawain.membrane.com/hew/Usa/T...b.html#PascalB






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  #5  
Old October 20th 03, 02:29 PM
BllFs6
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Default Accidental Orion?

hear ya go

http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/.../manhole.shtml

the article wanders at bit....but it gets back to the "facts" your interested
in near the end of the longish article...

I used to have a link dirrectly to an article written by the scientist in
charge of the project...it was nice little article with facts from the guy that
WAS there....but alas I cant find it...maybe you can with the info the
article...

take care

Bll
  #8  
Old October 21st 03, 02:50 AM
Joann Evans
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Default Accidental Orion?

Parallax wrote:

I recently read somewhere a story about one of the first underground
nuclear tests called Bernallilo in which the vertical shaft was capped
with a massive steel plug. After the shot which was intentionally
vented to the atmosphere, that the steel cap wasn't found.
Calculations indicated that its velocity far exceeded earth escape.
Apocryphal or plausible? A search on underground nuclear testing
reveals nothing?


Do a Google search on "Project Thunderwell" (quotes and all)

This is one of the hits:

http://gawain.membrane.com/hew/Usa/T...b.html#PascalB

I first heard of this in an article about nuclear pulse rocketry in
Air & Space magazine, ten-odd years back...



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You know what to remove, to reply....
  #9  
Old October 21st 03, 04:39 AM
holog
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Default Accidental Orion?



Parallax wrote:

I recently read somewhere a story about one of the first underground
nuclear tests called Bernallilo in which the vertical shaft was capped
with a massive steel plug. After the shot which was intentionally
vented to the atmosphere, that the steel cap wasn't found.
Calculations indicated that its velocity far exceeded earth escape.
Apocryphal or plausible? A search on underground nuclear testing
reveals nothing?


gee wonder why?
\

some people want to keep secrets, national security.


but theorize your heart away.then tell us all about it. got windows

holog

 




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