WHAT WENT WRONG

SNAFU with Ed Helms: Starfish Prime

February 26, 2026

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  • The 1962 high-altitude nuclear test, Starfish Prime, created an artificial radiation belt that lasted for at least 10 years, damaging a third of all satellites orbiting Earth at the time. 
  • The detonation caused a massive electromagnetic pulse (EMP) visible nearly 1,000 miles away in Hawaii, destroying streetlights and frying electronic equipment, demonstrating the fragility of growing technological infrastructure. 
  • The recklessness of the Starfish Prime test, which was conducted despite prior failures and resulted in unforeseen global consequences, is compared by the hosts to the current unmitigated rush into Artificial Intelligence development. 

Segments

Introduction to Operation Fishbowl
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(00:33:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Operation Fishbowl was a series of high-altitude nuclear tests conducted by the U.S. in response to Soviet testing.
  • Summary: Operation Fishbowl involved high-altitude nuclear tests using Thor missiles and was part of a larger project with 36 detonations in the Pacific in 1962. The tests used maritime-themed code names like Bluegill and Starfish. The initial motivation was to see if high-altitude nuclear detonations were an effective weapon.
Early Test Failures and Cleanup
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(00:11:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The first two high-altitude tests in Operation Fishbowl failed mid-flight, resulting in the ocean being contaminated with plutonium.
  • Summary: The first attempt failed when the tracking system lost the missile, requiring the Navy to destroy it mid-flight. The second Thor missile malfunctioned, showering the Pacific with plutonium-contaminated material, necessitating two weeks of cleanup by special underwater ordnance disposal teams. The pointlessness of risking lives for an ambiguous test is highlighted.
Starfish Prime Detonation Details
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(00:20:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Starfish Prime was the third, successful test, detonating a 1.4-megaton warhead 250 miles into space, creating a visible plasma bubble.
  • Summary: Launched on July 9th, 1962, the test involved a Thor missile carrying a W-49 thermonuclear warhead detonating 250 miles high, an altitude comparable to the International Space Station’s orbit. The explosion created a luminous red rim and a swirling bubble of plasma that distorted the Earth’s magnetic field. The blast was visible 870 miles away in Hawaii, creating six minutes of daylight in the middle of the night.
EMP and Satellite Damage
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(00:28:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The Starfish Prime EMP was far larger than expected, destroying hundreds of streetlights in Oahu and creating an artificial radiation belt that destroyed satellites.
  • Summary: The explosion triggered a powerful EMP that damaged over 300 streetlights and fried telephone company equipment on Oahu, nearly a thousand miles away. This event demonstrated the fragility of electronic infrastructure to distant high-altitude detonations. The blast also launched charged particles into the magnetic field, creating a radiation wave that damaged fully a third of all satellites, including Telstar 1.
Long-Term Consequences and Treaties
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(00:40:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The residual radiation from Starfish Prime was so severe that NASA had to alter astronaut flight plans, leading directly to international treaties banning space nuclear tests.
  • Summary: The artificial radiation belt disrupted the Van Allen belts, creating a serious risk for future space travel. NASA realized an astronaut would be killed if flying above 640 kilometers altitude due to residual radiation. This event, combined with the Cuban Missile Crisis, spurred the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty and the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
AI Development Parallel
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(00:45:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The unchecked, fear-driven development of high-stakes technology like nuclear weapons mirrors the current reckless lurch into Artificial Intelligence without adequate regulation.
  • Summary: The compulsion to be first in developing powerful, unknown technologies like nuclear energy and AI is intoxicating for certain leaders, driven by hubris and the fear that rivals will succeed first. Unlike the nuclear tests, AI is being detonated inside every home, yet lacks meaningful regulation despite warnings about its potential catastrophic impact on cognitive abilities and societal structure.