Photos from Inside NORAD's Cheyenne Mountain Combat Center

a reply to: Factis

I think the Cheyenne Mountain escape hatch is probably like this:

www.youtube.com...

I was kinda hoping to see a room with the Stargate in it

a reply to: Shadowhawk

Heh, maybe so. From what I can gather it's most likely an angled tunnel with rails for grip. The picture I saw of it (which I can't seem to upload at the moment) gives the impression of an outlet not much bigger than a person. What safeguards there are to the interior of that hatch on either side, one can only guess at--at least as far as civilians go. I doubt anyone who has actually seen it could legally talk about it in specific terms.

a reply to: Factis

That sounds a lot like the escape hatches I have seen for ICBM launch complexes. Typically, the Launch Control Center (LCC) had a 3-ft in diameter hatch providing entry to a tunnel designed to withstand the shock of blasts from incoming enemy warheads. The shaft of the escape tunnel was filled with sand to provide additional shielding and to maintain the tunnel's structural integrity against blast shock forces. Once conditions were deemed sufficiently safe for egress, personnel were to open the hatch and allow the sand to drain out onto the floor of the LCC. They could then ascend a ladder to the surface.

a reply to: Shadowhawk

I had never considered such tunnels would be filled with sand, but that absolutely makes sense. Thanks for the insight! Can you share whether there's any sort of lighting system in such tunnels? I assume because of the sand a lighting system is impractical, and one should be equipped with a flashlight.

EDITED TO ADD:

I finally got the photo to upload for me.

Is NORAD the only command center in case something happens?