Russia wants to put a nuclear weapon into space, new intelligence suggests. Although details are slim, policy experts said that the technology could be used against satellites, raising questions about Russia’s intentions and the potential ramifications of an orbital detonation.

WSJ looks at the history of nuclear detonation in space with Starfish Prime and explores what we know about Moscow’s development.

Starfish Prime test footage courtesy of Atomcentral: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RrbV_nCKW0

Chapters:
0:00 The U.S.’s new intelligence
0:37 What we know so far
1:45 Starfish Prime
4:21 Russian capabilities in space

News Explainers
Some days the high-speed news cycle can bring more questions than answers. WSJ’s news explainers break down the day’s biggest stories into bite-size pieces to help you make sense of the news.

#Russia #Nuclear #WSJ