Project A119: Nuking the Moon Plan

As unfathomable as it sounds, the Americans really did consider sending a nuclear missile

towards the moon. And for what purpose you ask? Well, to prevent the Soviets

from getting one-up on them. Ever since the end of WWII, the two countries

were locked in an ever-escalating nuclear arms race that evolved into a Space Race.

The Soviets got off to the quickest start with the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957,

Earth’s first artificial satellite. Fearing they might fall behind further, American top brass

wanted a show of strength, so the U.S. Air Force began Project A119,

aka Project Nuke The Moon. The Air Force wanted a mushroom cloud so large it would