| Submit your comments on this article |
| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Russia Releases Footage Of A 100 Megaton Nuke Test From 1961 |
| 2020-08-26 |
| [Zero Hedge] - Russia has for the first time released full declassified footage of the Soviet Union's monster nuclear bomb known as the 'Tsar Bomba' hydrogen bomb (codenamed "Ivan"). Widely considered to be the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created and tested, it was detonated 4,000 meters above a sparsely populated archipelago in the Barents Sea on Oct. 30, 1961 as part of a secretive test nevertheless detected by US intelligence. The bomb had a yield of an estimated 50 megatons, or the equivalent of 50 million tons of TNT, and though poor-quality images had already been released, just days ago the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation published a 40-minute full documentary featuring the new declassified video of the bomb detonation after being dropped by a Tu-95 Bear bomber on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear industry. I'm wondering what that test site looks like now. |
| Posted by:Raj |
| #9 The 'covert' Soviet test ended up not being so secret after all, given reports say the blast and resulting mushroom cloud were visible up to 621 miles away, further shattering windows in nearby Finland. Widely considered to be the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created and tested, it was detonated 4,000 meters above a sparsely populated archipelago in the Barents Sea on Oct. 30, 1961 as part of a secretive test nevertheless detected by US intelligence. No shit Sherlock |
| Posted by: European Conservative 2020-08-26 18:13 |
| #8 Apparently the design allowed for a final fast fission stage. The very fast neutrons emitted by fusion stage would have triggered fission of U238 which would have contributed the other 50 megatons, at the price of massive contamination with radioactive fission products. Since they would have used depleted or natural uranium critical mass wouldn't have been an issue. |
| Posted by: Elmerert Hupens2660 2020-08-26 13:13 |
| #7 I looked at one of the other related Youtube videos - the British guy said Sakharov inserted lead for half of the uranium charge ball (or whatever it's called) and that led to the nuke yield dropping from 100 megatons to 50. Megaton - now that's a heavy metal band name if I ever heard one. |
| Posted by: Raj 2020-08-26 12:03 |
| #6 Today, it looks out of focus, or intentionally blurred. Satellite |
| Posted by: Bobby 2020-08-26 09:44 |
| #5 Raj, I believe Severny Island is pretty much back to normal now. Except for appearing in a Larry Correia book, that is. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2020-08-26 09:15 |
| #3 Severny Island The bomb was detonated 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) above the Sukhoy Nos ("Dry Nose") cape of Severny Island Fascinating story |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2020-08-26 02:45 |
| #2 According to legend, Khrushchev wanted a 100 MT explosion but the military, scientists and engineers involved cut it back for safety reasons. |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2020-08-26 02:08 |
| #1 Correction - it was estimated at 50 megatons; coulda sworn I saw 100 megatons somewhere in the article. Still... |
| Posted by: Raj 2020-08-26 01:40 |