Bluegill Triple Prime shot, 1962, altitude 31 miles

High altitude nuclear explosions have historically been nuclear explosions which take place outside the Earth's atmosphere. Such explosions have been tests of nuclear weapons, used to determine the effects of the blast and radiation in the exoatmospheric environment. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (806x705, 278 KB) This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (806x705, 278 KB) This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... Earth is the third planet from the Sun. ... Saturns atmosphere is made up of hydorgen, helium and methane ... hi man wuts up he he he he he he The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ... Radiation has a variety of different meanings. ...

The only nations to detonate nuclear weapons in outer space are the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S. program began in 1958, with the Teak and Orange shots, both 3.8 megatons. These warheads were initially carried on Redstone rockets. Later tests were delivered by Thor missiles for Operation Dominic I tests, and modified Lockheed X-17 missiles for the Argus tests. The purpose of the shots was to determine both feasibility of nuclear weapons as an anti-ballistic missile defense, as well as a means to defeat satellites and manned orbiting vehicles in space. Layers of Atmosphere - not to scale (NOAA) Outer space, also called just space, refers to the relatively empty regions of the Universe outside the atmospheres of celestial bodies. ... A megaton or megatonne is a unit of mass equal to 1,000,000 metric tons, i. ... Redstone may refer to: Redstone rocket, a U.S. missile Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, a U.S. Army base Redstone Township, Pennsylvania Redstone, a Marvel Comics superhero This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Thor-Ablestar Thor was the United Statess first operational ballistic missile. ... The Lockheed X-17 was a three stage solid-fuel research rocket to test the effects of high mach reentry. ... Polish missile wz. ...

As it was realized that nuclear weapons created an electromagnetic pulse, the potential as an anti-satellite weapon became apparent: in August 1958 during Hardtack Teak, the EMP was observed at the Apia Observatory at Samoa to be four times more powerful than any created by solar storms, while in July 1962 the Starfish Prime test damaged electronics in Honolulu, approximately 800 miles away), fused 300 street lights on Oahu (Hawaii), set off about 100 burglar alarms, and caused the failure of a microwave repeating station on Kauai, which cut off the sturdy telephone system from the other Hawaiian islands [1]. The radius for an effective satellite kill for the various prompt radiations produced by such a nuclear weapon in space was determined to be roughly 80 km. Further testing to this end was carried out, and embodied in a Department of Defense program, Program 437. It has been suggested that Electromagnetic_bomb be merged into this article or section. ... Anti-satellite weapons (ASATs) are weapons designed to be used against artificial satellites. ... The aurora created by the explosion as seen from a surveillance aircraft The aurora created by the explosion as seen from Honolulu Starfish Prime was a high-altitude nuclear test conducted by the United States of America on July 9, 1962, a joint-effort of the Defense Atomic Support Agency... Honolulu as seen from the International Space Station Honolulu is the largest city and the capital of the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. ... The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... A Thor missile launch Program 437 was a United States military antisatellite program. ...

The problems with nuclear weapons carried over to testing and deployment scenarios, however. Because of the very large radius associated with nuclear events, it was nearly impossible to prevent indescriminate damage to other satellites, including one's own satellites. Starfish Prime produced an artificial radiation belt in space which soon destroyed three satellites (Ariel, Traac, and Transit 4B all failed after transversing the radiation belt, while Cosmos V, Injun I and Telstar suffered minor degradation, due to some radiation damage to solar cells, etc. [2]). The radiation dose rate was at least 60 rads/day at four months after Starfish for a well-shielded satellite or manned capsule in a polar circular earth orbit [3], which caused NASA concern with regard to its manned space exploration programs. The aurora created by the explosion as seen from a surveillance aircraft The aurora created by the explosion as seen from Honolulu Starfish Prime was a high-altitude nuclear test conducted by the United States of America on July 9, 1962, a joint-effort of the Defense Atomic Support Agency...

In general, nuclear effects in space (or very high altitudes) have a qualitatively different display. While an atmospheric nuclear explosion has a characteristic mushroom-shaped cloud, high-altitude and space explosions tend to manifest a spherical 'cloud,' until distorted by earth's magnetic field, and the charged particles resulting from the blast can cross hemispheres to create an auroral display which has led one filmmaker to characterize these detonations as 'the rainbow bombs'. The visual effects of a high-altitude or space-based explosion may last longer than atmospheric tests, sometimes in excess of 30 minutes. Heat from the Bluegill Triple Prime shot, at an altitude of 31 miles, was felt by personnel on the ground at Johnston Atoll, and this test caused retina burns to two personnel at ground zero who were not wearing their safety goggles [4]. The atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945 A mushroom cloud is a distinctive mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke, flame, or debris resulting from a very large explosion. ... A complete half-circle rainbow at Lake Zurich. ...

The Soviets detonated four high-altitude tests in 1961 and three in 1962. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, both the US and the USSR detonated several high-altitude nuclear explosions as a form of sabre-rattling. The Soviet tests were meant to demonstrate their anti-ballistic missile defenses which would supposedly protect their major cities in the event of a nuclear war. The worst effects of a Russian high altitude test occurred on 22 October 1962 (during the Cuban missile crisis), in ‘Operation K’ (ABM System A proof tests) when a 300-kt missile-warhead detonated near Dzhezkazgan at 290-km altitude. The EMP fused 570 km of overhead telephone line with a measured current of 2,500 A, started a fire that burned down the Karaganda power plant, and shut down 1,000-km of shallow-buried power cables between Aqmola and Almaty [5]. The Partial Test Ban Treaty was passed the following year, ending atmospheric and exoatmospheric nuclear tests. U.S.A.F. spy photo of one of the suspected launch sites The Cuban Missile Crisis refers to the tense confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States regarding the Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. ... U.S.A.F. spy photo of one of the suspected launch sites The Cuban Missile Crisis refers to the tense confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States regarding the Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. ... Dzhezkazgan (Kazak: Zhezqazghan), is a city in central Kazakstan, on a reservoir of the Kara-Kengir River. ... Statue of Nurken Abdirov in downtown Karaganda Karaganda (Russian: Караганда) or Qaraghandy (Kazak: Қарағанды) is the capital of Qaraghandy Province in Kazakhstan. ... Almaty Former Pioneers palace Russian Orthodox Cathedral Night city. ... The Treaty Banning poop, in Outer Space, and Under Water, often abbreviated as the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT), Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT), or Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (NTBT), although the former also refers to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), is a treaty intended to obtain an agreement...

List of high-altitude nuclear explosions

Hardtack-Orange shot, 43 km

The debris fireball and aurora created by the Starfish-Prime test, as seen from a KC-135 aircraft at 3 minutes.

The Starfish-Prime flash as seen through heavy cloud cover from Honolulu, 1,300 km away.

USA – Hardtack I – Johnston Atoll, Pacific Ocean Image File history File links Hardtack-orange. ... Image File history File links Hardtack-orange. ... Image File history File links Operation_Dominic_Starfish-Prime_nuclear_test_from_plane. ... Image File history File links Operation_Dominic_Starfish-Prime_nuclear_test_from_plane. ... Image File history File links The seven-minute-long artificial aurora created by the Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear test explosion in course of Operation Dominic on July 9, 1962. ... Image File history File links The seven-minute-long artificial aurora created by the Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear test explosion in course of Operation Dominic on July 9, 1962. ... Honolulu as seen from the International Space Station Honolulu is the largest city and the capital of the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Hardtack Oak mushroom cloud Hardtack Sorocco mushroom cloud An RB-57 Canberra observes Juniper. ...

• Teak, 1 August 1958, 3.8 Mt, 77 km
• Orange, 12 August 1958, 3.8 Mt, 43 km

USA – Argus – South Atlantic Ocean August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Operation Argus was secretly conducted during August and September of 1958, in the South Atlantic (see: South Atlantic Anomaly), by the US Atomic Energy Commission, in conjunction with the Explorer IV mission. ...

• Argus I, 27 August 1958, 1.7 kt, 160 km
• Argus II, 30 August 1958, 1.7 kt, 293 km
• Argus II, 6 September 1958 1.7 kt, 750 km

USSR – 1961 tests – Kapustin Yar Births 1407 - Ashikaga Yoshikazu, Japanese shogun (d. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... This article is about the day of the year. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Kapustin Yar (Russian Капустин Яр; today Знаменск/Snamensk) is a Russian rocket launch site in the Astrakhan Oblast, between Volgograd and Astrakhan. ...

• Test #88, 6 September 1961, 10.5 kt, 22.7 km
• Test #115, 6 October 1961, 40 kt, 41.3 km
• Test #127, 27 October 1961, 1.2 kt, 150 km
• Test #128, 27 October 1961, 1.2. kt, 300 km

USA – Dominic I – Johnson Atoll, Pacific Ocean This article is about the day of the year. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in Leap years). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Pacific Ocean detonation Operation Dominic I and II was a series of 105 nuclear test explosions conducted in 1962 and 1963 by the United States. ...

• Bluegill, 3 June 1962, failed
• Bluegill Prime, 25 July 1962, failed
• Bluegill Double Prime, 15 October 1962, failed
• Bluegill Triple Prime, 26 October 1962, 410 kt, 50 km
• Starfish, 20 June 1962, failed
• Starfish Prime, 9 July 1962, 1.4 Mt, 400 km
• Checkmate, 20 October 1962, 7 kt, 147 km
• Kingfish, 1 November, 1962, 410 kt, 97 km

USSR – 1962 tests – Kapustin Yar June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in Leap years). ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ... The aurora created by the explosion as seen from a surveillance aircraft The aurora created by the explosion as seen from Honolulu Starfish Prime was a high-altitude nuclear test conducted by the United States of America on July 9, 1962, a joint-effort of the Defense Atomic Support Agency... July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 175 days remaining. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ...

• Test #184, 22 October 1962, 300 kt, 290 km
• Test #187, 28 October 1962, 300 kt, 150 km
• Test #195, 1 November 1962, 300 kt, 59 km

October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ...

See also

• Outer Space Treaty

The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies also known as the Outer Space Treaty (the Treaty), was opened for signature in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union (the three...

References

• Shooting down a star: the US Thor Program 437, nuclear ASAT, and copycat killers , Chun, Clayton K. S., 1999. ISBN 1-58566-071-X [6]
• Operation DOMINIC I, Defense Threat Reduction Agency Department of Public Affairs, February 2006. Viewed 9 February, 2006. [7]
• Operation Hardtack, United States Army, viewed 8 February, 2006 [8]
• High Altitude Nuclear Tests, Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) collection of thumbnail-sized colour photos of all American high altitude nuclear tests with captions, viewed 2 April 2006 [9]

External links

• "High-altitude nuclear explosions"
• Peter Kuran's "Nukes in Space: The Rainbow Bombs" – documentary film from 1999
• United States high-altitude test experiences - A Review Emphasizing the Impact on the Environment
• Measured EMP waveform data and actual effects from high altitude nuclear weapons tests by America and Russia