Many people are now discovering a peculiar US scheme to detonate a nuclear bomb on the moon, and the rationale is stranger than the concept itself.
NASA, known for its lunar explorations, was reportedly involved in a plan during the 1950s to send a nuclear bomb to the moon.
During the height of the space race, with the USSR making significant strides towards landing astronauts on the moon, the United States felt mounting pressure.
Ultimately, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the Moon in 1969, yet history might have taken a more frightening turn if the US had pursued its initial plan.
Audiences were left astounded after viewing The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd on History’s YouTube channel, which thoroughly examined the 1958 scheme.
Here’s how people reacted…
One individual commented: “Reading about how the US planned to detonate a giant nuclear bomb on the moon in 1958 so that it would be visible from earth. To ‘boost morale’ during the Cold War.”
Another remarked: “Wtf. That sounds like something from a loony toons cartoon.”
Another person added: “Sounds like a conspiracy theory.”
A Study of Lunar Research Flights, Vol 1 is a detailed research paper outlining a plan to nuke the moon, documented by Leonard Reiffel, a prominent American nuclear physicist who had collaborated with Enrico Fermi, the creator of the first nuclear reactor.
Reiffel also participated in Project A119 alongside the space agency and Air Force, aiming to drop a hydrogen bomb on the Moon with scientist Carl Sagan.
A hydrogen bomb is significantly more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. This level of destruction was necessary for the goal of creating a large crater on the moon’s surface to assert US dominance if Russian astronauts approached their technological objectives.
The initiative was a response to the USSR’s launch of the first satellite, Sputnik 1.
With the Air Force, Reiffel produced reports in May 1958 and January 1959 evaluating the feasibility of the plan.
The intention was for the bomb to explode on the Moon’s Terminator Line, the boundary between its illuminated and dark sides, ensuring visibility to all, especially the Kremlin.
This demonstration would affirm the US’s technological superiority and deter potential adversaries.
During the 1950s, amid the Cold War and arms race, America’s only advantage over Russia was its rapid missile development.
However, Russia was closing in.
“Project A119 was one of several ideas that were floated for an exciting response to Sputnik,” stated Alex Wellerstein, a historian of science and nuclear technology, according to the BBC.
He mentioned that the plan also involved potentially shooting down Sputnik, which he noted ‘feels very spiteful.’
Ultimately, instead of following through, the US opted to launch its own satellite in the late 1950s.
Wellerstein explained the mission’s failure resulted from a lack of funding and attention, alongside Air Force concerns about potential missile malfunctions affecting Earth.
With its abandonment, the secretive plan faded into obscurity, remaining unknown to outsiders.