known study lunar research flights secret plan developed united_states_air_force aim project detonate nuclear bomb moon help answering mysteries astronomy explosive device entered lunar crater flash explosive light visible people earth naked eye force resulting possible domestic morale capabilities united_states boost needed soviet_union took early lead space race working similar project project carried cancelled primarily fear negative public reaction potential space moon landing undoubtedly popular achievement eyes american international public alike similar project soviet_union came fruition existence project revealed executive nasa led project young team responsible predicting effects nuclear explosion vacuum low gravity evaluating scientific value project project documents remained secret nearly years despite revelations united_states government officially recognized involvement study background cold war soviet_union took lead space race launch october artificial satellite orbit earth surprise successful launch compounded failure launch american satellite attempts dubbed crisis impetus beginning space race trying reclaim lost ground united_states embarked series new projects studies eventually included launch explorer creation nasa project based began studying effects nuclear explosions environment studies continue began researching potential consequences atomic explosion moon main objective program ran auspices united_states_air_force initially proposed cause nuclear explosion visible earth hoped display boost morale american people time project conception newspapers reporting rumor soviet_union planning detonate hydrogen bomb moon according press reports late anonymous source agent soviets planned commemorate anniversary october revolution causing nuclear explosion moon coincide lunar eclipse november news reports rumored launch included mention targeting dark consider boundary target explosion reported failure hit moon likely result missile returning earth similar idea forward father bomb february proposed atomic devices distance lunar surface analyze effects explosion research member team led assembled chicago study potential visibility explosion benefits science implications lunar surface members research team doctoral student responsible mathematical projection expansion dust cloud space moon essential element determining visibility earth scientists initially considered hydrogen bomb project united_states_air_force vetoed idea weight device heavy propelled missile decided use small lightweight relatively low yield contrast bomb dropped japanese city hiroshima yield carried rocket moon near detonate impact dust cloud resulting explosion lit sun visible earth according air_force progress development intercontinental missiles launch feasible cancellation project eventually canceled air_force january seemingly fear negative public reaction risk population gone wrong launch factor cited project leader possible implications nuclear fallout future lunar research projects colonization later reports corresponding soviet project exist differed scenario reported press started january series proposals entailed plans reach moon projects involved sending probe far moon series photographs surface final stage project nuclear strike moon display force american plan series projects canceled planning stages concerns safety reliability launch vehicle consequences signing prevented future exploration concept nuclear device moon time united_states soviet_union performed high altitude nuclear explosions including operation operation operation united_states achieved considerable victory space race success apollo mission december year apollo scientist suggested nuclear device moon order facilitate research idea dismissed interfere plans measure moon natural background radiation existence remained largely secret mid-1990s writer discovered story researching life biography involvement project apparent application academic scholarship application gave details project research felt constituted violation national security leak consisted revealing titles classified papers project paper possible contribution lunar nuclear weapons solution problems astronomy paper contamination moon nuclear weapons paper titled credited named paper written reports created project destroyed resulting biography life published shortly review published nature highlighted discovery leaked information led break write letter journal confirming activity time considered breach project took opportunity reveal details studies statements later widely reported media public admission project accompanied work carried scientist noting horrified gesture sway public opinion considered result publicity correspondence created freedom information request lodged concerning study lunar research flights volume public years inception search volumes documentation revealed reports destroyed 1980s nuclear historian united_kingdom called project proposals adding gone ahead romantic image taking giant leap mankind explosions lunar science vacuum stable chemical explosive filled seismic source mortar ammunition explosive experiments investigated composition lunar mantle analogous exploration practice mineral chemical explosives deep seismic sounding reflection scientific objectives nuclear device tons tnt moon order facilitate research attempted non nuclear means example lower yield explosion created water mission launched released energy mass kilograms impact velocity mph question find water stated influential united_states government pursues creating moon base november nasa confirmed water detected impacted crater energy partially successful having produced expected earth visible flash succeeding material complete lunar soil analysis identify lunar soil composition high depth
Project A119