Document Details
PURL
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Title:
Pluto: Impact of Vehicle on Land
Author(s):
Goldberg, E. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]
Document Type:
REPORT
Publication Date:
1961 Feb 20
Declassification Date:
1996 Jun 04
Declassification Status:
Declassified
Document Pages:
7 p.
Accession Number:
OOL20100181
Document Number(s):
UCRL-ID-124694
Originating Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OpenNet Entry Date:
2019 Aug 22
OpenNet Modified Date:
2023 Oct 12
Description/Abstract:
An important aspect of test flight of a PLUTO vehicle is the hazard that would arise if the vehicle were to crash in an inhabited region. This hazard will be discussed on the assumptions that the reactor operated for 10 hrs. at 600 MW immediately prior to the crash, and that essentially all fission products generated were retained. The crash is assumed to render the reactor highly supercritical such that it disassembles violently and 10% of its fission product inventory escapes to the atmosphere. The fission products generated at impact are due to the fission of less than one gram of U235 whereas 250 grams of U235 were consumed in the previous ten hour period. Therefore the nuclear disassembly is significant only as a dispersal mechanism.