Pahute Mesa
Pahute Mesa or Paiute Mesa is one of four major nuclear test regions within the
History
The
Pahute Mesa was seen as ideal due to its geology and distance of over 160 kilometers (99 mi) from Las Vegas. Holes can be drilled to a depth of more than 1,370 meters (4,490 ft). This allows tests in the megaton range to be fully contained with minimal ground motion being felt in Las Vegas.
Pahute Mesa was thus incorporated into the boundary of the NNSS in late 1963 under an agreement between the
Geology and climate
Pahute Mesa is part of the
Rugged terrain features and harsh winter conditions make year-round operations difficult.
Nuclear testing
A total of 85 nuclear tests were conducted in Pahute Mesa between 1965 and 1992.
In 1988, as a prelude to the signing of the protocols to the
Radioactive contamination
The following tests resulted in a release of radioactivity that was detected outside of the NNSS.[2]
Test | Date | Type | Purpose | Location | Atmospheric release of iodine-131 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palanquin | 1965-04-14 | Crater | Plowshare | Area 20 | 910 kilocuries (34 PBq)[4] |
Cabriolet | 1968-01-26 | Crater | Plowshare | Area 20 | 6 kilocuries (0.22 PBq)[4] |
Schooner | 1968-12-08 | Crater | Plowshare | Area 20 | 15 kilocuries (0.56 PBq)[4] |
The Schooner plume spread
Other uses
The Schooner crater area resembles the lunar landscape. It was used along with other areas of the NNSS to train some of the astronauts of the Apollo program, among them Neil Armstrong, Dick Gordon, Buzz Aldrin, Dave Scott and Rusty Schweickart. In 1970, the Apollo 16 team of John Young and Charlie Duke trained at Schooner in the lunar rover.[7] In May 2023, NASA returned to Schooner to test lunar equipment for the Artemis program.[8]
Supporting infrastructure
The Pahute Control Point is located in Area 18, south of Pahute Mesa. It was used until 1971 to monitor tests in Pahute Mesa.
The Pahute Mesa Airstrip, also in Area 18, was used to ship supplies and equipment to Pahute Mesa.[1]
References
- ^ a b U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office (July 2011), "chapter 2" (PDF), Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement Nevada
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e f U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (December 2000), United States Nuclear Tests - July 1945 through September 1992 (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-12
- ^ Hechanova, A.E.; O’Neill, L.J. (May 1998), Description of the Nevada Test Site and Nellis Air Force Range Complex Activities in Nevada, Las Vegas, NV: Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies, University of Nevada
- ^ a b c "National Cancer Institute. National Institute of Health. Chapter 2. History of the Nevada Test Site and Nuclear Testing Background." (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
- ^ Globalsecurity.org. Weapons of Mass Destruction. Library. Nevada Test Site Final Environmental Impact Statement. Figure 4-30: Approximate area of plutonium contamination exceeding 10 pCi/g on the NTS.
- doi:10.2172/804926
- ^ U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Operations Office (June 2004). "Apollo Astronauts Train at the Nevada Test Site" (PDF). Fact Sheets.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - YouTube
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of Energy.