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To: zeestephen
Can a nuclear explosion actually maintain its coherence at that speed?

ICBMs are a lot faster than that.

12 posted on 04/15/2018 11:11:18 PM PDT by steve86 (Prophecies of Maelmhaedhoc O'Morgair (Latin form: Malachy))
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To: steve86
Re: “ICBMs are a lot faster than that.”

On their way up, yes.

As far as I know, the warhead is in free fall on the way down, and it decelerates very quickly after launch phase and once it strikes the atmosphere.

I would be really surprised to learn that it detonates at faster than 1,500 mph.

Anyway, I spent 10 minutes on Google and came up with lots of information on launch speed and reentry speed, but nothing on impact speed.

I saw several “terminal velocity” numbers, but those look exactly like the reentry speeds, so I'm dubious.

16 posted on 04/16/2018 12:55:58 AM PDT by zeestephen
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