July 5th 2024.
Have you ever heard the urban legend about a manhole cover that supposedly ended up in space? Surprisingly, there may be some truth to this unbelievable tale. In the history of human space travel, the first object officially launched into space was the satellite Sputnik, created by Russia in 1957. This small metal sphere, measuring just 58cm in width, marked the beginning of the intense space race between Russia and the US, which ultimately led to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's iconic Moon landing.
However, there is a lesser-known story that suggests something else was accidentally sent into space before Sputnik. According to the legend, a manhole cover was blasted into the cosmos, leaving its humble beginnings as a simple plug for a hole in the ground far behind. And to this day, there is still no concrete evidence to prove or disprove this incredible feat.
So, how did a manhole cover end up hurtling through the solar system? Well, it all starts with a series of nuclear tests known as Operation Plumbbob, conducted by the US in Nevada between May and October 1957. As the summer went on, scientists became increasingly concerned about the amount of radiation produced by the above-ground tests. In July of that year, they conducted an experiment called Pascal A, which involved drilling a 500ft-deep borehole for the world's first underground nuclear test.
However, the bomb used in this experiment was much more powerful than expected, resulting in a massive explosion that sent a four-inch iron concrete cap flying into the air. Undeterred, the team tried again with a slight modification, placing a similar cap over another 500ft-deep borehole in a test called Pascal B. This time, the cap was welded shut to seal in the equipment, and a high-speed camera was installed to capture its fate.
As it turns out, the cap was never seen again, leading to speculation that it may have reached a velocity of 125,000 miles per hour, five times Earth's escape velocity, and potentially escaping the planet's gravity altogether. However, there is also the possibility that it burned up on its way out of the atmosphere, like a reverse meteorite. So, is there really a manhole cover flying through space right now? The answer is still unknown, and even nuclear scientist Dr. Tim Gregory admits he could believe it either way.
But a manhole cover is not the only unusual object to have made its way into space. In 2018, an American start-up launched a disco ball as part of a cosmic art project, but it ended up falling back to Earth after just two months. Astronaut John Young also famously smuggled up a corned-beef sandwich during a space mission, but it ended up disintegrating when he tried to share it with a colleague. And in 2018, a red Tesla Roadster was launched into space by SpaceX as part of a test flight for the Falcon Heavy rocket.
While the manhole cover legend may never be confirmed, it remains a fascinating and out-of-this-world story. And who knows, maybe one day we will discover that it truly did make its way into the stars. Until then, it will remain a mysterious and intriguing part of human space exploration history.
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