Jackass Flats facts for kids
Jackass Flats is a large, flat area of land in the southwest part of the Nevada National Security Site in Nye County, Nevada, United States. It's like a big, shallow bowl in the ground, formed by water carrying soil and rocks over time.
This area is located near some interesting mountains. It's east of Yucca Mountain, south of the Calico Hills and Shoshone Mountain, and northwest of Skull Mountain. Water flows from Jackass Flats southwest into the Amargosa Valley. This happens through two dry riverbeds called Tonopah Wash and Fortymile Wash. These washes cross US Route 95 near the town of Amargosa Valley, Nevada.
Jackass Flats covers about 120 square miles (310 square kilometers). Its elevation changes from about 2,800 feet (850 meters) near US 95 to 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) at the base of the mountains to the north and east.
Where is Jackass Flats Located?
Most of Jackass Flats is found within a special area called Area 25. It also stretches into Area 14 and Area 26. These areas are all part of the larger Nevada National Security Site.
A Place for Rocket Tests
Jackass Flats was once a very important place for testing special rocket engines. These engines were powered by nuclear energy! This work was part of two big projects: Project Rover and NERVA.
Project Rover
Project Rover started in 1955. Its goal was to create rocket engines that used nuclear power. Instead of burning fuel like regular rockets, these engines used heat from a small nuclear reactor. This heat would make hydrogen gas expand very quickly, pushing the rocket forward. Scientists hoped these engines could make space travel much faster and let us explore farther into our solar system.
NERVA Project
The NERVA project (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) was a follow-up to Project Rover. It aimed to build a real, working nuclear rocket engine that could be used in space missions. Many tests of these powerful engines happened right here at Jackass Flats. Imagine a rocket engine that could help astronauts travel to Mars much faster than current rockets!
These projects were very advanced for their time. They showed how nuclear power could be used for peaceful purposes, like exploring space.
