[meteorite-list] NP Article, 10-1958 Moon Meteorites, Nininger

From: j.divelbiss_at_att.net <j.divelbiss_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:18:02 2004
Message-ID: <122020030426.28558.533c_at_att.net>

Nuke the moon George, or was that Shoot the Moon?

You have wonder what stopped them from doing it in those days? Nininger??

For me just living in the state of Pennsylvania most of my life has exposed
me to devastating pollution of lakes, rivers, and streams. Mine pollution of
all types was bad. The thick black smoke from the steel towns of Pittsburgh,
Johnstown and Bethlehem was incredible in my early years and much worse
decades before. Industries impact on air and water was bad.

The damage from strip mining the surface for coal was extremely abusive in
its day...the scars from it are deep and abundant to this day. We have small
mountains of junk coal and culm that we have just now begun to burn and make
ash. It will take a few decades I'm sure.

On a bigger front in those days was the nuclear threat, the cold war huffing
and puffing...to me the urge to show off and blast the moon must have been
strong for many. What a dumb move that would have been. No dumber than the
stuff I mentioned above. While my grandpa was alive I always wanted to ask
him "what the hell was his generation, and his father's generation thinking
when they started doing all this?" I never did ask. I wonder what some kid
will ask me along those lines one day?

The air is better now, the waters are better, the coal stripping is less
abusive and nuclear threats are lessened...but it could be better still.

With all that said...it is a wonder they didn't do it. If so, then Lunar
space rocks would be as abundant as non classified NWA's at $0.10/g

"Your classification is in Tom, it is just junk from the moon...it is
everywhere you know."

John
> KOOL! Interesting note, can we do it without a nuc, and direct its impact
> into an unpopulated area?
>
>
>
> At 10:47 AM 12/19/03 -0600, MARK BOSTICK wrote:
>
> >Paper: Herald Press
> >
> >City: Saint Joseph, Michigan
> >
> >Date: Thursday, October 30, 1958
> >
> >
> >
> >By Rex Stanley
> >
> >Written Especially for Central Press and This Newspaper
> >
> >
> >
> >If an American or Russian space rocket hits the Moon with a nuclear
> >warhead, the explosion will blast lose tons of lunar surface and send
> >blazing bombardment of meteors against the Earth.
> >
> >Some of these huge chunks of Moon rock will burn to nothing as the streak
> >through our atmosphere. However, the biggest pieces may survive the long
> >space drop and smash to Earth with the force of atom bombs. Terrible death
> >and destruction could occur in populated areas.
> >
> >The reasoning, based on known arguments being used by world-recognized
> >scientists against any attempt to hit the Moon with an explosion.
> >
> >
> >
> >Tremendous Danger
> >
> >
> >
> >Men like Dr. H. H. Nininger, director of the American Meteorite museum in
> >Arizona, flatly warn that "a lunar surface explosion can rip loose a great
> >meteor "attack" against the Earth, unprecedented in history and
> >tremendously dangerous."
> >
> >According to Dr. Nininger, an explosive Moon shot could send down meteors
> >seen larger thant he massive "shooting star" that struck Siberia in 1908
> >and leveled everything for 30 miles. Or bigger than the 50,000-ton chunk
> >that gouged an Arizona crater in prehistoric times - half a mile in
> >diameter and 700 feet deep.
> >
> >Most scientists agree that a nuclear blast on the Moon will tear out tons
> >of lunar material. The light gravity field, only one-sixth that of the
> >Eart, won't hold the debris to the Moon.
> >
> >
> >
> >Foresee "Avalanche"
> >
> >
> >
> >An "avalanche" of rock, soild and dust will be blown into space at
> >untra-sonic speeds, caught by the Earth's gravitational field, then
> >litterally hurled through our atmosphere toward the ground.
> >
> >The interval between the actual lunar explosion and the Earth bombardment
> >- separated by 233,000 miles - might be several days time.
> >
> >"No matter how important to our prestige a 'Moon shot' may be," warns Dr.
> >Nininger, "proving it with an impact and nuclear explosion could bring
> >disaster against which have no defense."
> >
> >
> >Please visit, www.MeteoriteArticles.com, a free on-line archive of meteor
> >and meteorite articles.
>
>
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Fri 19 Dec 2003 11:26:01 PM PST