Huron King
A rare type of Vertical Line of Sight (VLOS) underground test was
conducted by the Defense Nuclear Agency on June 24, 1980.
The "Huron King" test used a nuclear device of less than 20 kilotons.
The VLOS design involved placing the nuclear device at the bottom of
the shaft with a communications satellite and other experiments in an
above-ground test chamber to simulate a space environment.
At zero time, the radiation from the device flowed up the vertical
pipe to the surface test chamber. Mechanical closures then intercepted
and sealed the pipe, preventing the accompanying shock wave from
damaging the targets.
The test chamber was then immediately disconnected by remote control
from the pipe and winched to safety before the ground subsided to form a
crater.
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