While the Earth’s orbit is becoming a place of power and rivalry, the United States military is considering the possibility of a nuclear explosion in space. This military event could have long-term dramatic consequences.
It was one of Donald Trump’s ideas during his first term as President of the United States. The American president wanted the return of the US Space Command, a military structure responsible for operations in space that had been merged with other entities.
Since 2019, this army division has engaged in a new type of simulation, as revealed by Ars Technica: a nuclear explosion in space. Specifically, these are “wargames,” scenarios of war scenes involving several private companies.
The idea is to understand what would happen in case of a nuclear explosion in space. About sixty American companies, as well as companies from New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, have delved into the potential consequences of such a detonation and determining what should be done to minimize the impact.
The threat is taken seriously by the United States. In 2024, during Joe Biden’s term, rumors emerged regarding the possibility of a Russian nuclear weapon in space. This situation would violate the space treaty, posing a serious threat to both ground populations and satellites in orbit.
At that time, the feared scenario was that Russia would use it to destroy numerous satellites in low Earth orbit, significantly disrupting enemy communications. However, this operation would also affect Moscow’s satellite connections, allied countries, as well as neutral countries with no involvement in a hypothetical conflict.
Since then, nothing of the sort has occurred. However, what would happen if it did? Whether the explosion is deliberate or accidental, the US military is preparing to anticipate the consequences to be ready.
According to simulations, a nuclear detonation in low orbit could damage or destroy thousands of satellites, including communication and surveillance systems, as well as many military assets. Moreover, the resulting debris would render the orbit unusable for several years.
The primary danger lies in the invisible effects: in space vacuum, there is no shockwave or blast, just an electromagnetic pulse that would instantly fry the electronics of visible constellations. Additionally, the detonation would create a permanent artificial radiation belt around Earth.
This radioactive hell would corrode surviving satellites within months, as demonstrated by the real American test Starfish Prime in 1962.
The goal of the exercises with private companies is to explore how these actors could assist the military in such a situation. The hope is that they can provide resources to launch new satellites, quickly produce infrastructure, and restore communication and space imaging capability.
Behind this partnership, the military is testing a bold concept. Being able to configure and launch a backup satellite very quickly to replace losses. The Pentagon is also urging industries to bolster civilian technologies like Starlink, which are currently too vulnerable.
This kind of collaboration between the military and private companies has already been put into practice. During the beginning of the war in Ukraine, SpaceX’s Starlink constellation was essential for battlefield communication. Such events have prompted the Pentagon to strengthen ties with these companies, especially in the event of a crisis.
Following the Apollo Insight wargame, the US Space Command plans to explore other similar scenarios involving orbital maneuvers in times of crisis and defense missiles.
