--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The official record for the fastest…" description: "\"“The official record for the fastest manmade object is the Helios 2 probe, which reached about 70 km/s in a close swing around the Sun. But it’s possib..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/randall-munroe-4800_fastest_the-official-record-for-the-fastest-manm_2083117.jpg" --- # The official record for the fastest manmade object is the… ![“The official record for the fastest manmade object is the Helios 2 probe, which reached about 70 km/s in a close swing around the Sun. But it’s possible the actual holder of that title is a two-ton metal manhole cover. The cover sat atop a shaft at an underground nuclear test site operated by Los…” quote by Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/randall-munroe-4800_fastest_the-official-record-for-the-fastest-manm_2083117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/randall-munroe-4800_fastest_the-official-record-for-the-fastest-manm_2083117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/randall-munroe-4800_fastest_the-official-record-for-the-fastest-manm_2083117.jpg) > ““The official record for the fastest manmade object is the Helios 2 probe, which reached about 70 km/s in a close swing around the Sun. But it’s possible the actual holder of that title is a two-ton metal manhole cover. The cover sat atop a shaft at an underground nuclear test site operated by Los Alamos as part of Operation Plumbbob. When the 1-kiloton nuke went off below, the facility effectively became a nuclear potato cannon, giving the cap a gigantic kick. A high-speed camera trained on the lid caught only one frame of it moving upward before it vanished—which means it was moving at a minimum of 66 km/s. The cap was never found.”” [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nuclear test accidentally launched a metal cover at extreme speed, possibly making it the fastest human-made object. **In simple terms:** A test turned a cover into a super‑fast projectile. Key Takeaway Consider unexpected consequences of experiments. Themes science accident speed human achievement Mood curious cautious Type scientific informative When to use this quote - space travel - engineering safety - experimental design Key Concepts physics ballistics unintended outcomes Questions to Reflect On - What safety measures could prevent such accidents? - How do we verify extraordinary claims? A Different Perspective The claim is anecdotal and lacks verification. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around The Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-sun/) [Fastest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fastest/) [Fastest Manmade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fastest-manmade-4079024/) [Helios Probe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helios-probe-4079025/) [Manmade Object](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manmade-object-4079026/) [Record Fastest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-fastest-340123/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [If everything works out for me & if it's my special day I'll try to break AB de Villiers record for the fastest hundred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-afridi/if-everything-works-out-for-me-if-it-s-my-special-day-i-ll-try-to/) [Shahid Afridi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-afridi/) > [“Sadio Mane holds the record for being the fastest ever goal scorer of a hat trick in the Premier League, scoring three goals within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carpenter/sadio-mane-holds-the-record-for-being-the-fastest-ever-goal-scorer-of/) [Chris Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carpenter/) > [I'm really happy to have set the world record for the fastest disabled woman, but I think I can go much faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mills/i-m-really-happy-to-have-set-the-world-record-for-the-fastest/) [Heather Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mills/) > [The idea for the 'Speed' series was to break the record for the fastest push bike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-martin/the-idea-for-the-speed-series-was-to-break-the-record-for-the-fastest/) [Guy Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-martin/) > [“It was like looking in a mirror. 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The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip around the sun every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/living-on-earth-is-expensive-but-it-does-include-a-free-trip-around/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) ## More by Randall Munroe > [There is a danger of building an identity around the idea of being smart because it is very easy to become off-putting, to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/there-is-a-danger-of-building-an-identity-around-the-idea-of-being/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [I'm sad that my childhood came just slightly before the lithium-ion-battery boom, because I would've killed for the cheap radio-controlled helicopters they have now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/i-m-sad-that-my-childhood-came-just-slightly-before-the-lithium-ion/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [“A 1-watt laser is an extremely dangerous thing. 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/space-is-about-100-kilometers-away-that-s-far-away-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [I try not to spend too much time interpreting my comics for people, because I try to put out there whatever I can, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/i-try-not-to-spend-too-much-time-interpreting-my-comics-for-people/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [If at first you don't succeed, that's one data point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-that-s-one-data-point/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [Once I got married, I started working from an office. I found that having somewhere to go that isn't my house is mentally helpful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/once-i-got-married-i-started-working-from-an-office-i-found-that/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [“Cleveland-area fans of French children's literature were disappointed by the Prince's decision to sign with the Miami Heat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/cleveland-area-fans-of-french-children-s-literature-were-disappointed/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [“Q. How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? —Myrlin Barber A. Surprisingly fast. First, a disclaimer. After reading this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/q-how-fast-can-you-hit-a-speed-bump-while-driving-and-live-myrlin/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [“There’s no material safety data sheet for astatine. 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It's the same with investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/in-tennis-you-strike-a-ball-just-after-the-rebound-for-the-fastest/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [Showing up fully exactly where you are is the fastest way to get where you want to go!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/showing-up-fully-exactly-where-you-are-is-the-fastest-way-to-get/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [Not the fastest always win the race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/not-the-fastest-always-win-the-race/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [I doubt I'm the fastest player in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/i-doubt-i-m-the-fastest-player-in-the-world/) [Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/) > [I'm way better in person than I am on things like Twitter. I know Twitter is the best and fastest way to connect with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-scherzinger/i-m-way-better-in-person-than-i-am-on-things-like-twitter-i-know/) [Nicole Scherzinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-scherzinger/) > [When I was growing up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, I was always the fastest kid around - in pickup games, in school, wherever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordarrelle-patterson/when-i-was-growing-up-in-rock-hill-south-carolina-i-was-always-the/) [Cordarrelle Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordarrelle-patterson/) > [I am the fastest person in the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-aaron-fox/i-am-the-fastest-person-in-the-league/) [De'Aaron Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-aaron-fox/) > [Assassination's the fastest way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/assassination-s-the-fastest-way/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [So yeah the yellow tall big one is the dragster < 33 and the blue one is the millinum, I love hat one but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/so-yeah-the-yellow-tall-big-one-is-the-dragster-33-and-the-blue-one/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [I'm not the biggest dude, and I'm not the fastest dude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-amendola/i-m-not-the-biggest-dude-and-i-m-not-the-fastest-dude/) [Danny Amendola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-amendola/) > [The books I've written the fastest were the best reviewed and sold the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/the-books-i-ve-written-the-fastest-were-the-best-reviewed-and-sold/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [It is nice to be known on 'Fifa 19' as the fastest player in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adama-traore/it-is-nice-to-be-known-on-fifa-19-as-the-fastest-player-in-the-world/) [Adama Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adama-traore/) > [The fastest way to get me to go out and do something is to tell me no way I can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-ashford/the-fastest-way-to-get-me-to-go-out-and-do-something-is-to-tell-me-no/) [Evelyn Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-ashford/) > [He who has the fastest golf cart never has a bad lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/he-who-has-the-fastest-golf-cart-never-has-a-bad-lie/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) [Browse all 143 Fastest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fastest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The official record for the fastest manmade object is the Helios 2 probe, which reached about 70 km/s in a close swing around the Sun. 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