HIGH ALTITUDE TESTS

Non-exhaustive list of high altitude explosives testings whose debris may have exceeded the Earth’s escape velocity and reached heliocentric orbit. However, it is highly probable that the equipment has been vaporized to dust.

19 tests have been identified.

COSPAR IDname typemissionquantitystatusdate/epoch (UTC)
NONESHAPED CHARGES (3 DETONATED), 85 KM ALT.ShrapnelARTIFICIAL METEORscatteredexplodedOctober 16, 1957
NONE1.7 KT/26.2 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelHARDTRACK I - YUCCAscatteredexplodedApril 28, 1958
NONE3.8 MT/76.8 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelHARDTRACK I - TEAKscatteredexplodedAugust 1, 1958
NONE3.8 MT/34 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelHARDTRACK I - ORANGEscatteredexplodedAugust 12, 1958
NONE1.7 KT/200 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelARGUS IscatteredexplodedAugust 27, 1958
NONE1.7 KT/240 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelARGUS IIscatteredexplodedAugust 30, 1958
NONE1.7 KT/540 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelARGUS IIIscatteredexplodedSeptember 6, 1958
NONE10.5 KT/22.7 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelTEST NO.88 - GROZA (JOE 79)scatteredexplodedSeptember 6, 1961
NONE40 KT/41.3 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelTEST NO.115 - GROM (JOE 98)scatteredexplodedOctober 6, 1961
NONE1.2 KT/150 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelTEST NO.127 - K PROJECT K2 (JOE 109)scatteredexplodedOctober 27, 1961
NONE1.2 KT/300 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelTEST NO.128 - K PROJECT K1 (JOE 105)scatteredexplodedOctober 27, 1961
NONE1.4 MT/400 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelDOMINIC (FISHBOWL) - STAR FISH PRIMEscatteredexplodedJuly 9, 1962
NONE7 KT/147 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelDOMINIC (FISHBOWL) - CHECKMATEscatteredexplodedOctober 20, 1962
NONE300 KT/290 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelTEST NO.184 - K PROJECT K3 (JOE 157)scatteredexplodedOctober 22, 1962
NONE410 KT/50 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelDOMINIC (FISHBOWL) - BLUEGILL TRIPLE PRIMEscatteredexplodedOctober 26, 1962
NONE300 KT/150 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelTEST NO.187 - K PROJECT K4 (JOE 160)scatteredexplodedOctober 28, 1962
NONE300 KT/59 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelTEST NO.195 - K PROJECT K5 (JOE 168)scatteredexplodedNovember 1, 1962
NONE410 KT/97 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelDOMINIC (FISHBOWL) - KINGFISHscatteredexplodedNovember 1, 1962
NONE5 KT/21 KM ALT. NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION TESTShrapnelDOMINIC (FISHBOWL) - TIGHTROPEscatteredexplodedNovember 3, 1962