20 © The Containment of Underground Nuclear Explosions Photo credit Daud Granam | 984 Huron King Test have been 31 tunnel tests conducted in Rainier and Aqueduct Mesas (figure 2-4). It may require 12 months of mining, using three shifts a day, to remove the 1 million cubic feet of rock that may be needed lo prepare for a tunneltest. Effects tests performed within mined tunnels are designed to determinetheeffects ofnuclear explosionproduced radiation on missile nose cones, warheads, satellites, communications equipment, and other military hardware. The tunnels are large enough so that satellites can be tested at full scale in vacuum chambers that simulate outer space. The tests are used to determine how weapons systems will withstand radiation that might be produced by a nearby explosion during a nuclear war. Nuclear effects tests were the first type of expenments performed during trials in the Pacific and were an extensive part of the testing program inthe 1950s At that time, many tests occurred above ground and included the study of effects on structures and civil defense systems. Effects tests within cavities provide a means vu! simulating surface explosions underground. A large hemispherical cavity is excavated and an explosion is detonated on or near the floor of the cavity The tests are designed to assess the capability of aboveground explosions to transmit energy into the ground. This information is used to evaluate the capability of nuclear weaponsto destroy such targets as missile silos or underground command centers