Operation Dominic
| Operation Dominic | |
|---|---|
 Dominic Chama |
|
| Information | |
| Country |  United States |
| Test site | Pacific Proving Grounds |
| Period | April–November 1962 |
| Number of tests | 36 |
| Test type | Atmospheric / Underwater |
| Max. yield | 8.3 Mt |
| Navigation | |
| Previous test | Operation Nougat |
| Next test | Operation Storax |
Operation Dominic was a series of 36 nuclear test explosions with a 38.1 Mt total yield conducted in 1962 by the United States in the Pacific.[1] This test series was scheduled quickly, in order to respond in kind to the Soviet resumption of testing after the tacit 1958-1961 test moratorium. Most of these shots were conducted with free-fall bombs dropped from B-52 bomber aircraft. Twenty of these shots were to test new weapons designs; six to test weapons effects; and several shots to confirm the reliability of existing weapons. The Thor missile was also used to lift warheads into near-space to conduct high altitude nuclear explosion tests; these shots were collectively called Operation Fishbowl.[2]
Operation Dominic occurred during a period of high Cold War tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, since the Cuban Bay of Pigs Invasion had occurred not long before. Nikita Khrushchev announced the end of a three-year moratorium on nuclear testing on 30 August 1961, and Soviet tests recommenced on 1 September, initiating a series of tests that included the detonation of Tsar Bomba. President John F. Kennedy responded by authorizing Operation Dominic. It was the largest nuclear weapons testing program ever conducted by the United States, and the last atmospheric test series conducted by the U.S., as the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed in Moscow the following year.
List [edit]
| Test Name | Date | Location | Yield | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe | 25 April 1962 | Christmas Island | 190 kilotons | |
| Aztec | 27 April 1962 | Christmas Island | 410 kilotons | |
| Arkansas | 2 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 1090 kilotons | |
| Questa | 4 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 670 kilotons | |
| Frigate Bird | 6 May 1962 | Pacific Test Range | 600 kilotons | Polaris A2 Missile launched from the submarine USS Ethan Allen (SSBN-608). Only operational test of a United States submarine-launched ballistic missile with a live nuclear warhead. |
| Yukon | 8 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 100 kilotons | |
| Mesilla | 9 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 100 kilotons | |
| Muskegon | 11 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 50 kilotons | |
| Swordfish | 11 May 1962 | off San Diego | <20 kilotons | RUR-5 ASROC from USS Agerholm (DD-826) at a range of only 4,000 yards. |
| Encino | 12 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 500 kilotons | |
| Swanee | 14 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 97 kilotons | |
| Chetco | 19 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 73 kilotons | |
| Tanana | 25 May 1962 | Christmas Island | "Fizzled" | |
| Nambe | 27 May 1962 | Christmas Island | 43 kilotons | |
| Alma | 8 June 1962 | Christmas Island | 782 kilotons | |
| Truckee | 9 June 1962 | Christmas Island | 210 kilotons | |
| Yeso | 10 June 1962 | Christmas Island | 3 megatons | |
| Harlem | 12 June 1962 | Christmas Island | 1.2 megatons | |
| Rinconada | 15 June 1962 | Christmas Island | 800 kilotons | |
| Dulce | 17 June 1962 | Christmas Island | 52 kilotons | |
| Petit | 19 June 1962 | Christmas Island | "Failed" | |
| Otowi | 21 June 1962 | Christmas Island | Unknown | |
| Bighorn | 27 June 1962 | Christmas Island | 7.65 megatons | |
| Bluestone | 30 June 1962 | Christmas Island | 1.27 megatons | |
| Starfish Prime | 9 July 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 1.4 megatons | Operation Fishbowl, exoatmospheric at 400 km altitude, caused artificial aurora borealis and power outages in Hawaii |
| Sunset | 10 July 1962 | Christmas Island | 1 megaton | |
| Pamlico | 11 July 1962 | Christmas Island | 3.88 megatons | Successful advanced principles test of high-efficiency thermonuclear weapon, last Christmas Island airdrop |
| Androscoggin | 2 October 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 75 kilotons | |
| Bumping | 6 October 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 11.3 kilotons | |
| Chama | 18 October 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 1.59 megatons | |
| Checkmate | 20 October 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 7 kilotons | Operation Fishbowl, high altitude nuclear explosion, 147 km altitude, XM-33 Strypi rocket with an Army Recruit booster, XW-50X1 warhead, no fireball |
| Bluegill Triple Prime | 26 October 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 410 kilotons | Operation Fishbowl, high altitude nuclear explosion, 50 km altitude, Thor missile, W50 warhead, fireball formed, large disruption of ionosphere did not occur |
| Calamity | 27 October 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 800 kilotons | |
| Housatonic | 30 October 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 8.3 megatons | Last US air dropped nuclear device |
| Kingfish | 1 November 1962 | Johnston Atoll | 410 kilotons | Operation Fishbowl, high altitude nuclear explosion, 97 km altitude, Thor missile with W-50 warhead, dramatic aurora-like effects, extensive ionosphere disruption, radio communication over central Pacific disrupted for over three hours |
| Tightrope | 4 November 1962 | Johnston Atoll | between 1–40 kilotons | Operation Fishbowl, 21 km (69,000 ft) altitude, Nike Hercules missile with a W31 warhead, test of a missile defense system, regarded to be the last true U.S. atmospheric nuclear test |
References [edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Operation Dominic |
- ^ U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (December 2000), United States Nuclear Tests - July 1945 through September 1992
- ^ Dwayne A. Day (7 May 2007). "Space ghost". The Space Review.
External links [edit]
- Operation Dominic at Carey Sublette's NuclearWeaponArchive.org
- More info on U.S. testing
- The short film Operation DOMINIC Nuclear Tests 1962 (1962) is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]
