I think we should use our nuclear arsenal to blow sh!t up in space.

[bfdd]

You know, for science.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Might work if the main method of energy propagation in nukes(explosives in general) existed in space.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Would we have to send the shit up there as well or are you thinking of nuking the moon? Countries could collaborate: Russia sends up a rocket and we nuke it in orbit. "Hey, Putin... PULL!"

 

[dennilfloss]

Nikolae,

We already have exploded a nuke in space: 1.4 megatons at 400km altitude in 1962.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZoic9vg1fw

 

[SunnyD]

I think we can actually do something even more useful when it comes to exploding nukes in space.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Nikolae,

We already have exploded a nuke in space.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKvvrNrCOnw

Never said we have never detonated a Nuke in space.

A nukes damage potential in space is severely hampered by the fact that a majority of the damage that a nuke does comes from heat and shockwave. Shockwaves are impossible without air, and heat is limited to instant thermal radiation from the initial reaction.

Also, those nukes weren't in "space" they were in atmosphere tests a..k.a high altitude, which is why they still contained blast waves.

Other reasons include, lack of ability to track debris, cost benefits, energy vs size of target, etc etc etc,

 

[bfdd]

detonating one in space is different than blowing shit up in space.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

The problem with sending nukes into space is that there is a failure rate of the delivery vehicles you must account for. Are you going to risk a launch vehicle failure and it raining down weapons grade nuclear material over a populated area?

 

[unokitty]

9 July 1962 Operation Starfish Prime

"Starfish Prime caused an electromagnetic pulse which was far larger than expected... The Starfish Prime electromagnetic pulse also made those effects known to the public by causing electrical damage in Hawaii, about 1,445 kilometres (898 mi) away ..., knocking out about 300 streetlights, setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave link. The EMP-damaged microwave link shut down telephone calls from Kauai to the other Hawaiian islands."

A Very Scary Light Show: Exploding H-Bombs In Space

The missile that carried the nuclear weapon was launched from an uninhabited atoll called Johnston Island. A little less than ten years later, the US Army transferred my company there... The lagoon was contaminated with nuclear materials from a previously failed launch. You weren't supposed to eat any fish that you caught from that lagoon...

Uno

 

[SirStev0]

I am interested in your theorem and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[jagec]

Might work if the main method of energy propagation in nukes(explosives in general) existed in space.

Put down your calculator, Poindexter. The OP wants to blow shit up in space because it's awesome, not because it would do the most damage per megaton.

And it would be totally awesome.

And work just fine, despite what you think.

 

[FoBoT]

there isn't really anything in space to blow up, most of it is already tore up

 

[Printer Bandit]

 

[Iron Woode]

I am thinking the title needs to be edited.

or a mod will do it for you.

 

[SirStev0]

there isn't really anything in space to blow up, most of it is already tore up

Apparently there is just fuck loads of litter and garbage floating around up there.