They run all-day tours out to the test site here. IIRC less radiation than an x-ray for the whole trip. Book in advance--there's a bit of a background check and thus they won't take walk-ups.

I think it was more a matter of what they could make.

Testing the detonator doesn't need a bomb. You can build it and see what happens to pieces of metal without using fissionables.

Still offered. As I write this the government site is busted, here's a page talking about it:

http://www.atomictourist.com/nts.htm

They were certain the U235 gun type would work and did not feel it was necessary to test it. The plutonium (the round bomb) was the implosion type. They were not sure it would work (if the explosives do not explode perfectly it does not go off) so they tested one. It was not a "plutonium gun-type bomb".

IIRC the test and the two war bombs used up all the refined material on hand. Of course Japan did not know it, but it was several weeks or months later before more cores were ready. For a short time after Nagasaki, the world was a nuclear bomb free zone.

No. The third bomb was ready. Truman would not approve it's use. Then the Japanese surrendered.

Incidentally, there is no such thing as a plutonium gun-type bomb. It won't work--you'll get a fizzle every time. Gun assembly is simply to slow.

(Note that the reverse does not apply--you can make a U-235 implosion bomb.)

I'm sure the TSA is eagerly taking notes here trying to figure out why all these FTers are swapping ideas on how to build an atomic bomb.
Nice knowin' ya folks! ;)

I visited the Trinity Site this past weekend, and thought I would share some observations.

First, definitely arrive early. I arrived at the Stallion Gate at 8:00 a.m. just as the gates were opening. (For those driving from Albuquerque, the drive was just under 2-hours from my home on the east side of Albuquerque, including a rest-stop and a stop to pick up a breakfast burrito.) There was no ID check at the gate, but they did record each license plate. The drive from the gate to Trinity is about 20-minutes.

The walk from the parking lot to ground zero is 1/4-mile one way. The folks above have mentioned what is there, so no need to really go into it here.

The busses to the McDonald house ran every five to ten minutes. There is a time-capsule near the house that is scheduled to be opened in 2009 (didn't say April or October) where some archives will be revealed.

Upon returning to Trinity from the McDonald house, the crowd had trebbled (at least) in size... this is just over an hour after our arrival on site. Parking lot was going into overflow and the path to ground zero was pretty thick.

The drive back through the gate an into San Antonio was uneventful. The Owl Bar is a definite stop, and getting there early really helps. The green chile cheese burgers are awesome (including a hand-pattied burger) and are on any future trips that we take south on I-25. Be sure to pop into the gas station next door for some fudge; it was a nice treat after the burger.

Finally, the veggie stand across the street has fresh fruits and veggies. If you are staying in the area for a while and want a snack, I'd definitely recommend stopping by.

Me too.

A week ago was the third Saturday in October and one of the two days out of the year that the Trinity Site is open. I think this is the first time it’s been open since the movie Oppenheimer came out. I was reminded by an article saying crowds at the site were bigger than normal this October.