A Single Nuclear Explosion in Orbit Could Disable 99% of Satellites in a Matter of Days
Science Alert · 12 Nov 2026

A Single Nuclear Explosion in Orbit Could Disable 99% of Satellites in a Matter of Days

High above your head, it's getting a bit crowded. In low-Earth orbit, more than 13,000 satellites are currently circling the planet. They're the backbone of your daily weather forecast, telephone and data communications, satellite internet services, and much more besides. A new study warns that a single nuclear detonation at a high enough altitude could disable virtually every satellite in low-Earth orbit, knocking almost all of them out within a month.


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