NIKK..this started out pretty small thread and then I had to pick up someone elses work. I guess its really good that people are working hard and together.
Christoph Koetti
This is a first look at the offshore platform in #Russia, which was likely involved in a nuclear explosion last Thursday. The incident is related to a suspected missile test. The platform is about 2.5 miles from the #Nenoksa missile test range.
The platform seems mobile & appears to have been moved into place before the explosion —not visible at that location in satellite imagery from July. A nuclear fuel carrier, the Serebryanka, was moved into place around the same time. Image & Data via @MarineTraffic
The presence of the Serebryanka is relevant and might offer clues of what happened. This very ship was previously used in recovery effort for a crashed SSC-X-9 — a prototype of a nuclear-propelled cruise missile — according to ArmsControlWonk
The presence of the Serebryanka is relevant and might offer clues of what happened. This very ship was previously used in recovery effort for a crashed SSC-X-9 — a prototype of a nuclear-propelled cruise missile — according to @ArmsControlWonk https://t.co/WwivkOjYTd— Christoph Koettl (@ckoettl) August 15, 2019
JLewis...Went on record with @JonathanLanday about our suspicion that something went wrong during or after a Russian test of its nuclear powered cruise missile (9M730 Burevestnik, NATO name: SSC-X-9 Skyfall). Three pieces of evidence underpin our suspicion.
Went on record with @JonathanLanday about our suspicion that something went wrong during or after a Russian test of its nuclear powered cruise missile (9M730 Burevestnik, NATO name: SSC-X-9 Skyfall). Three pieces of evidence underpin our suspicion.https://t.co/zw5nIuyD73— Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) August 10, 2019
First, Russia appears to have recently moved SSC-X-9 testing to Nenoksa. In the past year, Russia built a launch area that closely resembles the one removed from Novaya Zemlya with a shelter on rails. (Also, blue shipping containers!)
Second, we can see the Serebryanka, a nuclear fuel carrier, sitting off the coast inside the exclusion zone. (It is visible in satellite images and its AIS transponder is turned on.) This vessel was previously used last summer in an effort to recover a crashed SSC-X-9.
J.Lewis...Third, ROSATOM, the Russian state atomic energy corporation, has now admitted that five of its employees were killed while providing "engineering and technical support of isotopic power sources in a liquid propulsion system."
I am pretty proud of our open source team for putting all this together. The people who have lent a hand include: @sbidgood @annemp13 @Jessica_Varnum @grace_c_liu @DuitsyWasHere @Shea_Cotton @DaveSchmerler @cmrntrainer @atomic_pickles @theMichelotti and @grace_c_liu Follow them!— Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) August 10, 2019
4 nuclear explosion detection stations from @ctbto_alerts - one, 875 miles away, registered the incident at around 9 a.m. local time. The detection stations were located in 3 different countries. 3 seismic, one infrasound station.
A few hours later, city officials in Severodvinsk — 20 miles from the explosion — posted that radiation levels were briefly up, leading residents to rush to pharmacies to buy iodine pills. The posting had been removed by the evening, but not quickly enough before it was archived.
Interestingly, there is a second, very similar platform parked on the beach. Image & analysis via Maxar.
And finally, on Aug. 12, satellite imagery captured a new Russian ship heading towards the offshore platform in the restricted area. Possibly related to a salvaging operation for platform and/or nuclear reactor?
APellegrino....I think it's this ship👇
Michael Duitsman
Not sure. It can deploy submersibles (as shown) and UUVs. The large cranes are rated for 80 tons, though you'd probably need to be careful at higher loads - the ship is heeling noticeably under the 26 ton weight of that AS-39 submersible.
Also, which slide were you referring to?
bottema37