High altitude nuclear tests

High altitude nuclear explosions have historicallybelt, while Cosmos V, Injun I and Telstar suffered
been nuclear explosions which take place outsideminor degradation, due to some radiation damage
the Earth's atmosphere. Such explosions haveto solar cells, etc.). The radiation dose rate was at
been tests of nuclear weapons, used toleast 60 rads/day at four months after Starfish
determine the effects of the blast and radiation infor a well-shielded satellite or manned capsule in a
the exoatmospheric environment.polar circular earth orbit, which caused NASA
The only nations to detonate nuclear weapons inconcern with regard to its manned space
outer space are the United States and the Sovietexploration programs.
Union. The U.S. program began in 1958, with theIn general, nuclear effects in space (or very high
Teak and Orange shots, both 3.8 megatons.altitudes) have a qualitatively different display.
These warheads were initially carried on RedstoneWhile an atmospheric nuclear explosion has a
rockets. Later tests were delivered by Thorcharacteristic mushroom-shaped cloud, high-altitude
missiles for Operation Dominic I tests, andand space explosions tend to manifest a spherical
modified Lockheed X-17 missiles for the Argus'cloud,' reminiscent of other space-based
tests. The purpose of the shots was toexplosions until distorted by earth's magnetic field,
determine both feasibility of nuclear weapons asand the charged particles resulting from the blast
an anti-ballistic missile defense, as well as a meanscan cross hemispheres to create an auroral
to defeat satellites and manned orbiting vehicles indisplay which has led one filmmaker to
space.characterize these detonations as 'the rainbow
As it was realized that nuclear weapons createdbombs'. The visual effects of a high-altitude or
an electromagnetic pulse, the potential as anspace-based explosion may last longer than
anti-satellite weapon became apparent: in Augustatmospheric tests, sometimes in excess of 30
1958 during Hardtack Teak, the EMP wasminutes. Heat from the Bluegill Triple Prime shot,
observed at the Apia Observatory at Samoa toat an altitude of 31 miles, was felt by personnel
be four times more powerful than any createdon the ground at Johnston Atoll, and this test
by solar storms, while in July 1962 the Starfishcaused retina burns to two personnel at ground
Prime test damaged electronics in Honolulu andzero who were not wearing their safety goggles.
New Zealand approximately 800 miles away),The Soviets detonated four high-altitude tests in
fused 300 street lights on Oahu (Hawaii), set off1961 and three in 1962. During the Cuban Missile
about 100 burglar alarms, and caused the failureCrisis in October 1962, both the US and the USSR
of a microwave repeating station on Kauai, whichdetonated several high-altitude nuclear explosions
cut off the sturdy telephone system from theas a form of saber-rattling. The Soviet tests
other Hawaiian islands [1]. The radius for anwere meant to demonstrate their anti-ballistic
effective satellite kill for the various promptmissile defenses which would supposedly protect
radiations produced by such a nuclear weapon intheir major cities in the event of a nuclear war.
space was determined to be roughly 80 km.The worst effects of a Russian high altitude test
Further testing to this end was carried out, andoccurred on 22 October 1962 (during the Cuban
embodied in a Department of Defense program,missile crisis), in ‘Operation K’
Program 437.(ABM System A proof tests) when a 300-kt
The problems with nuclear weapons carried overmissile-warhead detonated near Dzhezkazgan at
to testing and deployment scenarios, however.290-km altitude. The EMP fused 570 km of
Because of the very large radius associated withoverhead telephone line with a measured current
nuclear events, it was nearly impossible toof 2,500 A, started a fire that burned down the
prevent indiscriminate damage to other satellites,Karaganda power plant, and shut down 1,000-km
including one's own satellites. Starfish Primeof shallow-buried power cables between Aqmola
produced an artificial radiation belt in space whichand Almaty. The Partial Test Ban Treaty was
soon destroyed three satellites (Ariel, Traac, andpassed the following year, ending atmospheric and
Transit 4B all failed after transversing the radiationexoatmospheric nuclear tests.