Re: Manhole cover beat Sputnik?
Robert S. Thau (rst@ai.mit.edu)
Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:12:06 -0400 (EDT)
Robert Harley writes:
> The entire claim seems pretty dubious to me. Most of the explosion's
> energy would be released as radiation which would melt the plate (at
> least) immediately. The shock wave would hit it after a fraction of a
> second and send globs of molten steel flying. There would be no
> intact plate to be "watched leaving the area" on camera.
Hmmm... serious people thought Orion (nuclear rockets propelled by
bombs exploded under their tails) could be made to work; was that
because the shield itself was expected to liquefy, but to shield the
rest of the structure from the worst of the effects?
rst