4 ms·

Skeptoid recently covered this topic in the context of the conspiracy theory that the soviets were weaponizing such technology: https://skeptoid.com/episodes/48

• gene-h 4y ago
  The soviets did something of almost the same level of sanity, they used rockets to dig holes rapidly.[0] An underground rocket is basically a specialized rocket nozzle pointed straight at the ground, the hot fast moving exhaust gases are able to excavate soil and rock. Speed up to 100 m/s through soil and 5 m/s through solid rock have been claimed. Here's a video of a missile being repurposed to do this[1]. I've read, although I forget where, that there were concerns the soviets could use this technique to quickly place a nuclear weapon under west germany as part of a nuclear first strike. I suspect these concerns were quite short lived [0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_rocket https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_rocket [1]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7_tRmSIIEo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7_tRmSIIEo
  • ceejayoz 4y ago
    Same engineers that designed the firefighting tank with two MiG engines? https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15138374/stilling-the-fires-of-war/ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15138374/stilling-the...
  • wcoenen 4y ago
    > 100 m/s through soil and 5 m/s through solid rock The Wikipedia article says meter/minute where it mentions those numbers, not meter/second.
  • anthonygarcia21 4y ago
    Looks like they stuck a conical diverter onto the exhaust end of a solid-fuel Grad artillery rocket.