November 13, 2026
A recent scientific study warned of catastrophic repercussions that could result from a nuclear explosion in space, stressing that such a scenario would disable 99% of satellites, threatening global Internet, communications, and meteorological services with complete paralysis.
Scientific simulations have revealed that even relatively small nuclear charges are capable of paralyzing most of the satellite system in low Earth orbit within a few days. The researchers tested the scenario of detonating a one-megaton nuclear charge at an altitude of 500 kilometers above the “South Atlantic Anomaly” region, where the Earth’s magnetic field weakens.
The results showed that 78% of the satellites would be out of service by the end of the third day, rising to 98% after a week, and reaching 99.4% by the fifteenth day. The study indicated that enhancing radiation protection will not prevent the disaster, as 99.3% of satellites will stop working within one month even with these measures in place.
If the charge was weaker and had a strength of 100 kilotons, it would take about a full year to disable 99% of the satellites. The risks are not limited to direct radiation, but extend to losing control over malfunctioning satellites, which raises the possibility of their collision in space.
Scientists expect about 20 collisions to occur during the first two years of the disaster, which will leave approximately 3,900 new pieces of space debris in orbit after ten years.
