Posted in Nevada Attractions December 12, 2016 by

You’ll Marvel At the Largest Man-Made Crater from the Atomic Age in Nevada

Nevada played an important role in the testing of nuclear weapons during the “Atomic Age.” The landscape of the state now bears the scars of that activity, sometimes in spectacular ways.

In July 1962, a shallow underground nuclear test was conducted at Yucca Flat. This was known as the Storax Sedan test.
Sedan Crater
By Federal Government of the U.S/National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office Photo Library via Wikimedia Commons
The purpose of the test was part of a larger program, Operation Plowshare, which sought to investigate the usefulness of nuclear weapons for civilian goals. Some of these goals included mining and cratering to expedite building canals, mines, dams, and highways.
Unfortunately, the tests did not work out so well and the program was abandoned when it was clear nuclear explosions could not be safely used for excavation purposes.
Sedan Crater
Danny Bradury/Flickr
The radioactive fallout from the test led to the contamination of more citizens than almost any other test in the U.S. One other test from "Operation Tumbler-Snapper" may have contributed more, but it's difficult to measure.
The Sedan test left behind a crater that is the largest man-made crater in the U.S. The Sedan Crater is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sedan Crater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedan_Crater#/media/File:Sedan_Plowshare_Crater.jpg
To understand just how big the blast was, 12 million tons of earth were moved by the explosion. The resulting crater is 320 feet deep and 1,280 feet wide.
Sedan Crater
Jarek Tuszynski/Wikimedia Commons
The U.S. Department of Energy gives free tours of the crater each month. About 10,000 people each year visit the site.
Sedan Crater
The Official CTBTO Photostream's photostream/Flickr
There are several other craters in Nevada created by nuclear testing. The set up of the craters is so similar to that of the moon that they have actually been used as training grounds for NASA astronauts.
Sedan Crater
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ANevada_Test_Site_-_Sedan_Crater_-_10.jpg

The Sedan Crater is located in Nye County and you can only visit via the Department of Energy tours. If you’re interested in a tour, contact the local office in Las Vegas. Would you go visit the Sedan Crater? Share in the comments!

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