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From: desj@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (David desJardins)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: "zillion fatal doses of Plutonium"
Message-ID: <12042@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Tue, 25-Feb-86 22:17:56 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.12042
Posted: Tue Feb 25 22:17:56 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Feb-86 06:40:04 EST
References: <860225-113525-3597@Xerox>
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: desj@brahms.UUCP (David desJardins)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
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In article <860225-113525-3597@Xerox> Ayers.PA@XEROX.COM writes:
>Please let's stop the "zillion fatal doses of Plutonium" non-science
>nonsense in the space digest. 
>
>I pointed out earlier that much much more than 43 pounds of Pu has been
>vaporized in the upper atmosphere by A-Bomb tests. "Maximum possible
>dispersion" indeed -- we're not talking about a break-apart here, but
>genuine vaporization-and-condense-into-tiny-particles.

   While of course this is correct, I do think that there is some possible
danger associated with an explosion on or near the launch pad.  An explosion
ten miles up over the Atlantic is not much of a concern, but it does seem
possible that an explosion on the launch pad could at the least contaminate
the launch area.  Talking about killing several thousand people is absurd,
but I think NASA should at least consider the probable effects of such an
accident...

   -- David desJardins