| High altitude nuclear explosions have
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| | Cosmos V, Injun I and Telstar suffered
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| historically been nuclear explosions
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| | minor degradation, due to some radiation
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| which take place outside the Earth's
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| | damage to solar cells, etc.). The
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| atmosphere. Such explosions have been
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| | radiation dose rate was at least 60 rads
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| tests of nuclear weapons, used to
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| | day at four months after Starfish for a
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| determine the effects of the blast and
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| | well-shielded satellite or manned capsule
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| radiation in the exoatmospheric
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| | in a polar circular earth orbit, which
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| environment.
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| | caused NASA concern with regard to its
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| The only nations to detonate nuclear
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| | manned space exploration programs.
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| weapons in outer space are the United
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| | In general, nuclear effects in space (or
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| States and the Soviet Union. The U.S.
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| | very high altitudes) have a qualitatively
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| program began in 1958, with the Teak and
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| | different display. While an atmospheric
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| Orange shots, both 3.8 megatons. These
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| | nuclear explosion has a characteristic
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| warheads were initially carried on
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| | mushroom-shaped cloud, high-altitude and
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| Redstone rockets. Later tests were
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| | space explosions tend to manifest a
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| delivered by Thor missiles for Operation
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| | spherical 'cloud,' reminiscent of other
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| Dominic I tests, and modified Lockheed
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| | space-based explosions until distorted by
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| X-17 missiles for the Argus tests. The
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| | earth's magnetic field, and the charged
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| purpose of the shots was to determine
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| | particles resulting from the blast can
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| both feasibility of nuclear weapons as an
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| | cross hemispheres to create an auroral
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| anti-ballistic missile defense, as well
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| | display which has led one filmmaker to
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| as a means to defeat satellites and
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| | characterize these detonations as 'the
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| manned orbiting vehicles in space.
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| | rainbow bombs'. The visual effects of a
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| As it was realized that nuclear weapons
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| | high-altitude or space-based explosion
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| created an electromagnetic pulse, the
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| | may last longer than atmospheric tests,
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| potential as an anti-satellite weapon
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| | sometimes in excess of 30 minutes. Heat
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| became apparent: in August 1958 during
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| | from the Bluegill Triple Prime shot, at
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| Hardtack Teak, the EMP was observed at
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| | an altitude of 31 miles, was felt by
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| the Apia Observatory at Samoa to be four
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| | personnel on the ground at Johnston
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| times more powerful than any created by
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| | Atoll, and this test caused retina burns
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| solar storms, while in July 1962 the
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| | to two personnel at ground zero who were
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| Starfish Prime test damaged electronics
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| | not wearing their safety goggles.
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| in Honolulu and New Zealand approximately
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| | The Soviets detonated four high-altitude
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| 800 miles away), fused 300 street lights
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| | tests in 1961 and three in 1962. During
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| on Oahu (Hawaii), set off about 100
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| | the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962,
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| burglar alarms, and caused the failure of
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| | both the US and the USSR detonated
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| a microwave repeating station on Kauai,
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| | several high-altitude nuclear explosions
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| which cut off the sturdy telephone system
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| | as a form of saber-rattling. The Soviet
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| from the other Hawaiian islands [1]. The
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| | tests were meant to demonstrate their
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| radius for an effective satellite kill
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| | anti-ballistic missile defenses which
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| for the various prompt radiations
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| | would supposedly protect their major
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| produced by such a nuclear weapon in
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| | cities in the event of a nuclear war. The
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| space was determined to be roughly 80 km.
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| | worst effects of a Russian high altitude
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| Further testing to this end was carried
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| | test occurred on 22 October 1962 (during
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| out, and embodied in a Department of
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| | the Cuban missile crisis), in
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| Defense program, Program 437.
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| | ‘Operation K’ (ABM System A proof
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| The problems with nuclear weapons carried
| |
| | tests) when a 300-kt missile-warhead
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| over to testing and deployment scenarios,
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| | detonated near Dzhezkazgan at 290-km
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| however. Because of the very large radius
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| | altitude. The EMP fused 570 km of
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| associated with nuclear events, it was
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| | overhead telephone line with a measured
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| nearly impossible to prevent
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| | current of 2,500 A, started a fire that
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| indiscriminate damage to other
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| | burned down the Karaganda power plant,
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| satellites, including one's own
| |
| | and shut down 1,000-km of shallow-buried
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| satellites. Starfish Prime produced an
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| | power cables between Aqmola and Almaty.
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| artificial radiation belt in space which
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| | The Partial Test Ban Treaty was passed
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| soon destroyed three satellites (Ariel,
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| | the following year, ending atmospheric
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| Traac, and Transit 4B all failed after
| |
| | and exoatmospheric nuclear tests.
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| transversing the radiation belt, while
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| |
|
