The dangers of nuclear tests
 

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Article #4: High altitude nuclear tests

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






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