Altitude & Impact Calculations v1
Altitude & Impact Calculations
Terminal Velocity
A 500 lb anvil reaches terminal velocity of approximately 170 mph. This is well below the target's cruising speed.
The anvil will always be slower than the target. This is a fundamental problem that no amount of height will solve.
Impact Analysis
When the anvil does make contact (exclusively with the operator, historically):
| Scenario | Frequency | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Anvil lands on target | 0% | Never observed |
| Anvil lands on operator | 73% | Accordion-shaped operator |
| Anvil lands on ground | 15% | Crater, wasted anvil |
| Anvil lands on other ACME equipment | 12% | Compound failure cascade |
Cost Per Attempt
- Anvil: $89.99 (non-recoverable after canyon-floor impact)
- Hoisting equipment: $45.00
- Medical: $8,500 (average)
- Replacement cliff edge: $0 (natural erosion covers this)
Cumulative Spend
127 anvils deployed. $11,428.73 in anvils alone. Zero successful interdictions.
Recommendation
The anvil drop system is the most reliable system in the ACME catalog, in the sense that it reliably does not work. Its simplicity is appealing. Its results are not. Continue deployment.