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Exploring The Huge Nuclear Bunker Built Inside Of A Mountain | Super Structures | Spark

Spark・34 minutes read

Cheyenne Mountain houses NORAD, a military command center, built to withstand nuclear attacks during the Cold War. NORAD continues to play a crucial role in monitoring threats to North America post-Cold War, including tracking aircraft movements and monitoring space objects.

Insights

  • Cheyenne Mountain, housing NORAD, serves as a fortified base that monitors the skies for potential threats to North America, utilizing advanced technology and a vast network of sensors on land, sea, and in space.
  • The construction of Cheyenne Mountain, initiated due to Cold War fears, involved intricate engineering techniques such as precise blasting, rock bolting, and the reinforcement of weak areas, highlighting the meticulous planning and execution required to create a secure underground complex capable of withstanding nuclear attacks and ensuring the safety of the free world.

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Recent questions

  • What is NORAD's primary function?

    NORAD monitors global skies for potential threats.

  • Why was Cheyenne Mountain chosen for NORAD's base?

    Cheyenne Mountain was impervious to nuclear blasts.

  • How did Cheyenne Mountain's construction address vulnerabilities?

    Cheyenne Mountain's construction reinforced weak areas.

  • What was the urgency behind completing Cheyenne Mountain?

    The Cuban Missile Crisis heightened the urgency.

  • How has NORAD's mission evolved post-Cold War?

    NORAD now monitors various security threats.

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Summary

00:00

Cheyenne Mountain: Impenetrable Fortress of Defense

  • A superstructure, impervious to a nuclear blast, was built within Cheyenne Mountain, weighing 1.5 million pounds and utilizing 23,000 truckloads of granite.
  • Cheyenne Mountain houses high-tech sentinels constantly monitoring global skies for potential threats to North America.
  • NORAD, comprising US and Canadian military forces, operates within Cheyenne Mountain, overseeing a vast network of sensors on land, sea, and in space.
  • NORAD's vigilance covers 120 miles around the US and Canada, declaring unknown tracks within two minutes and scrambling interceptors if necessary.
  • Cheyenne Mountain's construction involved removing 460,000 cubic yards of rock and replacing it with 7,000 tons of steel, concrete, and miles of wiring.
  • The project's inception stemmed from Cold War fears, prompting the need for a structure capable of withstanding nuclear attacks.
  • NORAD's initial aboveground design was deemed vulnerable, leading to the decision to locate the base underground within Cheyenne Mountain.
  • The construction within Cheyenne Mountain began in 1961, with miners excavating caverns 1,500 feet below the surface in a unique egg crate-like design.
  • The Cuban Missile Crisis heightened the urgency of completing the Cheyenne Mountain complex, emphasizing its critical role in national defense.
  • The project's completion was expedited on a wartime schedule, underscoring its significance in safeguarding the free world's existence.

20:52

Cheyenne Mountain: Securing NORAD Against Threats

  • Dr. Clifton W. Livingston, a blasting expert, was called in to address the brittle granite rock of Cheyenne Mountain, using precise blasting techniques to reduce fracturing.
  • Livingston calculated dynamite charges to fracture the rock to a desired depth, improving the security of the cavern.
  • Rock bolting, using metal rods, was employed to reinforce the hollowed-out sections of the mountain, preventing collapse in the event of a nuclear blast.
  • A fatal weakness in the mountain, a shear zone, threatened the project, leading to the construction of a concrete sphere to reinforce the weak rock.
  • A steel tower was devised to transmit the weight of the mountain around the fractured area to solid bedrock below, overcoming the instability inside Cheyenne Mountain.
  • NORAD's command center was completed in May 1965, with steel buildings providing working space within the tunnels.
  • The complex electrical and surveillance equipment installation took eight months, including an advanced camera processor projector displaying a global image.
  • Cheyenne Mountain was designed to resist nuclear blast effects, with blast doors, ventilating fan reconfiguration, and seismic shock protection using massive steel springs.
  • The buildings were constructed with a continuously welded steel skin to protect against electromagnetic pulses, with a backup power system and water supply ensuring operational reliability.
  • The complex's air supply system, equipped with blast valves and CBR filters, safeguards against chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants, with over 1200 personnel ensuring its continuous operation.

39:57

Cheyenne Mountain: Secure Cold War Bunker

  • Cheyenne Mountain complex is heavily secured, with tight security measures in place both for access and movement within the facility.
  • The complex, despite its underground location, offers ample space and amenities, resembling a large office building in terms of environment.
  • NORAD Operations Center in Cheyenne Mountain was established during the Cold War to counter the Soviet threat, with detailed plans for a global thermonuclear war.
  • Cheyenne Mountain was a prime target for the Soviets due to its strategic importance and housed various weapons systems and spy satellites.
  • Despite the end of the Cold War, NORAD's mission remains vital in monitoring potential threats from new nuclear states and conventional weapons, including terrorist attacks.
  • NORAD's role has expanded to include monitoring drug trafficking, tracking aircraft movements, and even monitoring space objects, ensuring comprehensive security measures are in place.
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