Where was the PEPCON plant located?
Where was the PEPCON plant located?
Henderson, Nevada
The PEPCON plant, located in Henderson, Nevada, 10 miles (16 km) from Las Vegas, was one of only two American producers of ammonium perchlorate (“AP”), an oxidizer used in solid propellant rocket boosters, including the Space Shuttle, military weapons (SLBMs launched from nuclear submarines), and non-weaponized rocket …
What did PEPCON make?
PEPCON produced ammonium perchlorate, which is a chemical found in solid rocket fuel. 2. Because of the Challenger explosion in January 1986, there was a large amount of ammonium pechlorate at the plant at the time. 3.
Who owned PEPCON?
The Cedar City plant, owned by American Pacific Corp. in Las Vegas — the same company that owned PEPCON, employs about 150 people. Neilsen, who saw the damage near Henderson, said, “This is nothing compared to that.
What time did PEPCON explode?
The blast happened around 12 noon during the opening round of the Panasonic Las Vegas golf tournament at 3 different courses in the valley. After feeling the initial blast, the mushroom cloud could be seen climbing over the valley and play was halted immediately.
What year was the pepcon blast?
May 4, 1988
PEPCON disaster/Start dates
What is the difference between burning and explosions?
A key difference between fire and explosion is that in fire, the fuel (e.g. burning candle) and the oxidizer (air) are clearly separated. Oxygen molecules, necessary to maintain the occurrence of combustion, reach the flame largely by diffusion.
How are explosions caused?
What Causes Explosions? An explosion is a rapid expansion of gases. Many explosions occur when gases are exposed to a source of heat- such as fire, sparks, even static elec- tricity-or an increase in pressure. Explosions can also be caused by chemical reactions.
Why do explosions make noise?
The shock wave and the gas bubble each contain approximately half of the energy produced by the explosion. After the gas bubble is formed, it expands until the pressure inside the bubble is lower than the surrounding pressure. At that point the bubble begins to collapse, causing the pressure inside to increase.
What happened at the PEPCON plant?
The plant manufactured rocket fuel. (Jeff Scheidl/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Kendra Brown and Pat Hinds watch the scene at the PEPCON plant in Henderson on May 4, 1988, after a fire and explosion rocked the Las Vegas Valley.
What does pepepcon do?
PEPCON was one of two American producers of ammonium perchlorate, a chemical found in solid fuel rocket boosters that is used for NASA Space Shuttles and military-grade weapons, according to the City of Henderson Historical Society.
What is the PEPCON ammonium perchlorate plant explosion?
The PEPCON Ammonium Perchlorate Plant Explosion May 4, 1988, Clark County, NV: What began as a normal repair procedure at the Pacific Engineering Production Company of Nevada (PEPCON), a chemical plant specializing in the manufacture of a major component in solid propellant, ended in the worst way imaginable.
Can I distribute the PEPCON incident?
Please do not distribute without written permission from Damn Interesting. Just before lunchtime on May 4th, 1988, at a facility near Henderson, Nevada, a panicked maintenance crew could be seen dashing away from the site of the Pacific Engineering Production Company, also known as PEPCON.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QihUAqsTWWU
