Ice-filled structure and tunnelling method for the egress and launching of deep-based missiles
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorDavid L. Coursen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Missiles located in the deeper (hard rock) portion of a shaft or tunnel are protected from damage during a nuclear attack by a mass of ice, preferably trumpet-shaped, located in the outermost portion (e.g., 600-900 meters). When missile egress is required, an ice-supported passageway is bored through the ice, preferably by melting. The trumpet shape assures a straight path for missile egress even if the shaft or tunnel should become transversely displaced by a cratering explosion against the surface.
Claims28
A structure comprising (a) a solid mass of ice filling a portion of a shaft or tunnel in the earth, said mass of ice (1) being coaxial with a deeper portion of said shaft or tunnel adapted to contain one or more missiles, and (2 ) including a straight path between said deeper portion and the earth's surface whereby said ice is adapted to be bored so as to provide a passageway for said missile(s);
- said ice-filled portion of said shaft or tunnel and the periphery of said mass of ice adjacent thereto having a diameter at the earth's surface that is substantially larger than the diameter of the passageway required for passage of said missile(s) and is nowhere smaller than the diameter required for such a passageway;
- and (b) a means of boring outward through said mass of ice along said straight path so as to form an ice-supported passageway extending to the earth's surface for the egress of said missile(s) from the deeper portion of said shaft or tunnel.
A method of producing a structure in the earth for protecting one or more deep-based missiles during attack and allowing their post-attack egress to the surface and launching, which method comprises (a) forming a shaft or tunnel leading from the earth's surface to a location deep within the earth;
- (b) equipping the deeper portion of said shaft or tunnel, or a chamber communicating therewith, with apparatus for progressively excavating a passageway through a mass of ice;
- and (c) filling said shaft with a mass of ice in a portion thereof extending from an intermediate distance from the earth's surface to the earth's surface, said mass of ice intervening between the earth's surface and the deeper portion of said shaft containing one or more missiles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.