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posted by martyb on Tuesday August 25 2020, @09:37PM   Printer-friendly
from the Царь-бо́мба dept.

Russia Releases "Tsar Bomba" Test Footage Of The Most Powerful Nuclear Bomb Blast Ever

The nuclear bomb, codenamed "Ivan," that was dropped by the Soviet Union over Novaya Zemlya in the Arctic Ocean on October 30, 1961, was the largest device of its kind ever detonated. The monstrous weapon had a yield of around 50 megatons — equivalent to 50 million tons of TNT. Until now, the available imagery of that test has been strictly limited, consisting of short, grainy clips and poor-quality stills.

The colossal Ivan device was developed under a program known as izdeliye 202 (meaning "product 202", otherwise known simply as "V"). Years later, when more details became known about it in the West, the weapon would be dubbed "Tsar Bomba."

On August 20, 2020, the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation — the Russian state concern responsible for nuclear enterprises, including nuclear weapons — released a 30-minute documentary film on its official YouTube channel showing the test in unprecedented detail, from the initial transport of the device itself to the mushroom cloud that later rose some 6.2 miles over the Arctic archipelago. The release of the film coincides with the 75th anniversary of Russia's nuclear industry — although a thermonuclear bomb popularly described in the West as a "doomsday weapon" was perhaps an unusual choice for the commemoration. Regardless, it was a remarkable technological achievement.

Test of a clean hydrogen bomb with a yield of 50 megatons (40m28s video). Detonation footage starts after 22:40, with more footage after the end of the documentary starting at 29:32.

Wikipedia entry for Tsar Bomba.


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  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 26 2020, @04:43AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 26 2020, @04:43AM (#1041998)

    There's one point where they are showing the mushroom cloud and playing happy xylophone lounge music in the background. A creepy choice.

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  • (Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday August 26 2020, @10:33PM

    by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Wednesday August 26 2020, @10:33PM (#1042410) Journal

    The music alone seemed more dissonant and unsettling than happy. Definitely creepy though. Peak Soviet music choice.

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