Sandia conducts first impact test in years of B61 nonnuclear components

A ground-penetrating bomb, minus its nuclear components, rammed through a target at the remote Coyote Canyon test range last month in Sandia National Laboratories’ first such rocket-driven impact test in seven years. Engineers said the Sandia components on the weapon performed as expected.

“Really nice work,” said Engineering Sciences Director Justine Johannes, who watched the test at the aerial cable facility on a video monitor with about a dozen others who had worked toward the Nov. 20 test for years.

The Sandia team hoisted the test B61-11, an earth-penetrating weapon, high above the target on a device attached to a rocket sled capable of thousands of pounds of thrust. The motors were lit and the rocket pulled the B61 down into the target.

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