'Just a small aside comment here: the Federation of American Scientists web site [link to fas.org (secure)] has some highly interesting discussions on it.

What intrigued me the most was a discussion of the first object launched into space by our civilization. It was not a rocket, it was the door or 'plug' at ground level sealing a deep bore that an atomic bomb was test detonated in during the early 1950's.

The force of the blast was such that the many tons steel door shot out of the bore with such speed that it exceeded escape velocity and left the earth and traveled into space.

Alex, I'll take "engineering" for $500 LOL!