During the Pascal-B nuclear test of August 1957, a 900-kilogram (2,000 lb) iron lid was welded over the borehole to contain the nuclear blast, despite Brownlee predicting that it would not work.
A high-speed camera, which took one frame per millisecond, was focused on the borehole because studying the velocity of the plate was deemed scientifically interesting.
This idea is so incredibly stupid that science needs to study precisely how much it won’t work.
When Pascal-B was detonated, the blast went straight up the test shaft, launching the cap into the atmosphere at a speed of more than 66 km/s (41 mi/s; 240,000 km/h; 150,000 mph).
Woaw. Just wow.
Very interesting article, thanks for quoting it lol
For reference, earths escape velocity at the surface is about 11 km/s. I’m not sure how quickly the cap would slow down, but if it hadn’t been vaporised it surely would be orbiting the sun right now.
Also, the escape velocity from the Sun at Earths distance would be 16.6 km/s on top of earths speed, so depending on the direction it could’ve escaped the suns orbit as well.
I remember reading somewhere that it would be the farthest manmade object from earth, far outpacing the Voyager spacecrafts, assuming it didn’t vaporize.
I love the juxtaposition of these:
This idea is so incredibly stupid that science needs to study precisely how much it won’t work.
Woaw. Just wow.
Very interesting article, thanks for quoting it lol
For reference, earths escape velocity at the surface is about 11 km/s. I’m not sure how quickly the cap would slow down, but if it hadn’t been vaporised it surely would be orbiting the sun right now.
Also, the escape velocity from the Sun at Earths distance would be 16.6 km/s on top of earths speed, so depending on the direction it could’ve escaped the suns orbit as well.
But it was most likely vaporised
I remember reading somewhere that it would be the farthest manmade object from earth, far outpacing the Voyager spacecrafts, assuming it didn’t vaporize.
Voyager 3: “It’s a funny story actually…”
*record scratch*
“You’re probably wondering how I got here…”
This is A+ solid gold writing for a perfect “fuck you” to Gary.