When the US blew up a Hydrogen bomb in space (1962)

When the US blew up a Hydrogen bomb in space (1962)

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FourWheelDrift

Original Poster:

89,641 posts

291 months

Friday 30th June 2017
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Project Starfish Prime

http://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2010/07/01/12...

" in the summer of 1962, the U.S. blew up a hydrogen bomb in outer space, some 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean. It was a weapons test, but one that created a man-made light show that has never been equalled — and hopefully never will"

This newly discovered Van Allen belt I wonder if we could use it against the Ruskies?

"The plan was to send rockets hundreds of miles up, higher than the Earth's atmosphere, and then detonate nuclear weapons to see: a) If a bomb's radiation would make it harder to see what was up there (like incoming Russian missiles!); b) If an explosion would do any damage to objects nearby; c) If the Van Allen belts would move a blast down the bands to an earthly target (Moscow! for example); and — most peculiar — d) if a man-made explosion might "alter" the natural shape of the belts."

Beati Dogu

9,193 posts

146 months

Friday 30th June 2017
quotequote all
Probably the same loonatics who wanted to create a rival to the Panama Canal across Nicaragua using hydrogen bombs to excavate the path.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plowshare


When you've got a big new shiny hammer, everything suddenly looks like a nail.

dudleybloke

20,477 posts

193 months

Friday 30th June 2017
quotequote all
Rainbow bombs - Nukes in space.

https://youtu.be/rlRWaWC5xl0

Well worth a watch.

Simpo Two

87,088 posts

272 months

Friday 30th June 2017
quotequote all
Beati Dogu said:
When you've got a big new shiny hammer, everything suddenly looks like a nail.
Then again, all we have now is solvent-free paint and plastic recycling bins.

Sylvaforever

2,212 posts

105 months

Sunday 2nd July 2017
quotequote all
Beati Dogu said:
Probably the same loonatics who wanted to create a rival to the Panama Canal across Nicaragua using hydrogen bombs to excavate the path.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plowshare


When you've got a big new shiny hammer, everything suddenly looks like a nail.
bloody good read that.

Sappers eh give em an inch.....

MartG

21,241 posts

211 months

Monday 3rd July 2017
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Radiation from Starfish Prime killed several satellites, including Telstar and the UK's Ariel 1

The Wookie

14,040 posts

235 months

Tuesday 4th July 2017
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dudleybloke said:
Rainbow bombs - Nukes... in... spaaaaaaaaace.
Sorry couldn't resist

Gandahar

9,600 posts

135 months

Tuesday 4th July 2017
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How about air to air with people underneath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VZ7FQHTaR4


tumbleweed

Note the one softy vegetarian Labour supporter who wore sunglasses......

Edited by Gandahar on Tuesday 4th July 22:18

Brigand

2,544 posts

176 months

Wednesday 5th July 2017
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Also reminds me of the theories of early nuclear powered spaceflight. Initially I thought they were talking about nuclear engines of some kind, but the early proposals had spacecraft carrying lots of nuclear bombs which they would detonate behind the ship and propel themselves forwards by riding the blast waves. Seems ridiculous now!

hairykrishna

13,588 posts

210 months

Wednesday 5th July 2017
quotequote all
Project Orion. Brilliant plan. There's a really good book about it by George Dyson, but it seems to be out of print.

Unfortunately detonating a few hundred nukes in the atmosphere on their way up would be a bit politically unpopular these days.

Eric Mc

122,858 posts

272 months

Wednesday 5th July 2017
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ash73 said:
Would work ok in space though.
Assuming it made it into orbit. That's the most dangerous part of any space mission - the launch.

dudleybloke

20,477 posts

193 months

Wednesday 5th July 2017
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Sylvaforever

2,212 posts

105 months

Monday 10th July 2017
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ash73 said:
What could possibly go wrong.

Anyhow continuing the theme, NASA planning nuclear power station on Mars:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-se...
Didn't that astronaut use one to keep warm?


What you mean that was a MOVIE!

Eric Mc

122,858 posts

272 months

Monday 10th July 2017
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NASA (and other agencies) have used Nuclear Radioactive Thermal Generators (or RTGs) for decades. They aren't mini nuclear reactors. They are a device which contains a small amount of Plutonium. As the Plyonium decays, the heat generated powers the craft over long period of time.

It was one of those that Watney made use of in "The Martian".

From memory, NASA has used RTGs on -

i) the advanced Apollo Lunar Surface Experimental packages left on the moon by Apollos 15, 16 and 17
ii) Pioneers 10 and 11
iii) the two Viking Mars landers
iv) Voyagers 1 and 2
v) the Galileo probe
vi) New Horizons
vii) the Curiosity Mars rover

There may be a few more I can't think of off hand.

Beati Dogu

9,193 posts

146 months

Monday 10th July 2017
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MartG said:
Radiation from Starfish Prime killed several satellites, including Telstar and the UK's Ariel 1
It's 55 years to the day since Telstar was launched atop a Thor-Delta rocket .

Eric Mc

122,858 posts

272 months

Monday 10th July 2017
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And spawned a very annoying piece of music - that I hold responsible for the invention of the Stylophone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxpZ5rOMH4U&sp...