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