Focused on the Threat: High-Altitude Nuclear Detonation (Part 5 of 6)

Space Threats Episode 5: High-Altitude Nuclear Detonation Weapons

HIGH-ALTITUDE NUCLEAR DETONATION WEAPONS Space Threats Episode 5 of 6-part series. Modern-day Space Threats Are Real—and Here. Unfortunately, these Space Threats are no longer Science Fiction—they're NOW Science Fact. Everyday, we secure our Nation’s interests in, from, and to Space. Discover More About Space Threats... Could an adversary launch a nuclear weapon and detonate it at a high altitude, creating a radiation burst that destroys all the satellites in its wake? Unfortunately, this science fiction scenario is science fact in today’s era of Great Power Competition. Deterring catastrophic threats like these are why the #SpaceForce was created five years ago and is the subject of the fifth episode in Space Systems Command's animated video series on space threats. #USSF5 #SpaceThreats

Published Sept. 26, 2024
By Lisa Sodders and Brad Smith, SSC Public Affairs

El Segundo, CA -- Could an adversary launch a nuclear weapon and detonate it at a high altitude, creating a radiation burst that destroys all the satellites in its wake? Deterring catastrophic threats like these are why the U.S. Space Force was created five years ago and is the subject of part five in our six-part series on space threats.

Adversaries already have this capability, and it’s not new. Both the U.S. and the former Soviet Union developed such technologies in the 1950s.

“The higher the nuclear detonation is in altitude, the bigger the problem because of yield,” said U.S. Space Force Maj. Neal Carter, deputy director of Intelligence at Space Systems Command (SSC). “When you have a high altitude or high orbit, the yield that the altitude gives the radiation, and that energy, creates problems for other orbits, not to mention the Earth’s protective magnetic belts. It has the potential to wreak havoc on communication satellites and GPS satellites and everything we depend on for our way of life. It’s a huge threat.”

Deploying this threat would make space inaccessible not only for the United States, but for the adversary as well and “we’d hope that’s a good deterrent against using that kind of weapon. But we can’t rely on hope alone,” Carter said.

In addition to space domain awareness and strong missile detection and tracking systems, “open lines of communication with our joint partners and international allies -- as well as our adversaries -- is important,” he said. “Just because we may not be on the best terms with a nation state doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk with them to prevent miscalculation or misunderstanding and ultimately, a tragedy.”

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Space Threats Episode 5: High-Altitude Nuclear Detonation Weapons