Unleashing the Power of Nuclear Borehole Cannon: Shooting Projectiles into Space

[Godspanther]

TL;DR Summary

Can a borehole be used to shoot an object into space using a nuclear charge?

I was just wondering. If one used a shielded tungsten projectile and some small diameter nuclear devices could someone shoot a projectile into space by using a borehole drilled into the Earth like a cannon barrel?

 

[Astronuc]

Summary:: Can a borehole be used to shoot an object into space using a nuclear charge?

I was just wondering. If one used a shielded tungsten projectile and some small diameter nuclear devices could someone shoot a projectile into space by using a borehole drilled into the Earth like a cannon barrel?

Yes one could do such a thing, but then one would likely have a large cavity where the device (say a kt (1 kiloton of TNT equivalent) or so) was detonated, not to mention the neutron-induced transmutation of the surrounding environment and contamination by fission products.

Rather, one might wish to use a rail-gun (electromagnetic) launch system, or a nuclear-power propulsion system. However, if one were to use a nuclear propulsion system, what would be the final disposition of the spent core (nuclear reactor)?

 

[Orodruin]

Earth’s escape velocity is just above 11 km/s. Ignoring the fact of having to survive the full pressure of a nuclear explosion, air would be a major problem. For comparison, the space shuttle reentry speed was around 8 km/s and it needed significant heat shielding to not burn up in the thinner upper atmosphere. Imagine what would happen to anything traveling at > 11 km/s through the dense lower atmosphere.

 

[Godspanther]

That is why I suggest tungsten. Basically this is just Project Thor in reverse. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment

 

[hutchphd]

You may be aware of Operation Plumbob
The concrete plug from one leaky underground test was recorded with a vertical speed of 56 km/s which is 5 times escape velocity. Its final disposition is unknown.
Personally I am more fond of project Orion for inappropriate use of nuclear technology. Ya got to dream big.

 

[Godspanther]

I was not. Very interesting. One of the difficulties of getting objects into space is cost. Obviously this method would not work for anything sensitive like mechanical or electronics but for bulk mass like steel I beams for building space stations or to delivering the tungsten rods needed to arm a Project Thor style satellite it may work. The real difficulty would be releasing the material from the ballistic encasement used to help it survive escape from the atmosphere.

 

[jbriggs444]

The real difficulty would be releasing the material from the ballistic encasement used to help it survive escape from the atmosphere.

"Everything is very simple in war, but the simplest thing is difficult." Clausewitz