This Day in History: 1962-07-09

Nukes in space On this day in 1962, the largest nuclear weapon ever exploded in space is detonated by the US. The 1.4 megaton nuclear weapon was 400 km above the Pacific in a test called “Starfish Prime,” which was part of a series of tests. The explosion was visible from Hawaii, and the electromagnetic pulse sent power surges throughout Hawaiian utility lines, knocking out street lighting and blowing fuzes and circuit breakers. Nuclear weapons were banned from space in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.