πŸ”— Starfish Prime, outer space nuclear test

πŸ”— United States πŸ”— Spaceflight πŸ”— Military history πŸ”— Military history/North American military history πŸ”— Military history/United States military history πŸ”— United States/Military history - U.S. military history πŸ”— Military history/Military science, technology, and theory πŸ”— Military history/Weaponry πŸ”— Micronesia πŸ”— Micronesia/Johnston Atoll

Starfish Prime was a July 9, 1962, high-altitude nuclear test conducted by the United States, a joint effort of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and the Defense Atomic Support Agency. It was launched from Johnston Atoll and was the largest nuclear test conducted in outer space and one of five conducted by the US in space.

A Thor rocket carrying a W49 thermonuclear warhead (designed by Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory) and a Mk. 2 reentry vehicle was launched from Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, about 900 miles (1,450Β km) west-southwest of Hawaii. The explosion took place at an altitude of 250 miles (400Β km), above a point 19 miles (31Β km) southwest of Johnston Atoll. It produced a yield equivalent to 1.4Β megatonnes of TNT. The explosion was about 10Β° above the horizon as seen from Hawaii, at 11 PM Hawaii time.

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