In 1962, the US detonated a 1.4-megaton nuclear bomb in space that knocked out streetlights and triggered burglar alarms in Hawaii. 64 years later, it says weapons are already in orbit

Sixty-four years ago, the United States detonated one of the most powerful nuclear weapons ever used in an experiment far above Earth.On July 9, 1962, a 1.4-megaton thermonuclear bomb exploded roughly 400 kilometres above the Pacific Ocean in a test known as Starfish Prime. The blast created artificial auroras, produced a powerful electromagnetic pulse and injected huge amounts of energetic particles into Earth's magnetic field, creating an artificial radiation belt that damaged satellites.

Now, in 2026, the US has made another extraordinary admission about warfare beyond Earth.