Can a nuke even blow up in space?

[HoloGraphic]

Space is not entirely devoid of oxygen. It's just not enough oxygen for a human to breath.

From what I understand a nuclear explosion is caused by atoms rapidly hitting one another, to put it simply. I dont see why this cant happen in space.

 

[CobaltBlue]

Powers that be won’t let that happen. Not the powers you might be thinking of either. Celestial powers. The same ones that pulled up and hovered over the White House and Capitol in 1952. Big Facts.

Nobody’s dropped a nuke since. Probably couldn’t if they wanted to

 

[Change]

My stomach hurts so i only got a second before I drop a nuke) but YES you can. It's been done before by the US in the 60's. You won't have a mushroom cloud and the radiation will travel differently.

 

[Dorian Breh]

Why would a nuke require atmoshperic oxygen to explode ???

I assume since there's nothing to burn it would just be heat and light radiation, but no "fire" per se

 

[Dorian Breh]

So how do Space shuttles move themselves around while in space if they can't make fire via jet propulsion?

They have their own oxygen mixed in with the fuel

 

[east]

after america lost the space race, they planned to one-up the soviets by nuking the moon Project A119 and Carl Sagan - Space Legal Issues

 

[Dorian Breh]

Answer updated in OP

 

[Dafunkdoc_Unlimited]

Yes......

Operation Fishbowl - Wikipedia​

There won't be any 'fire', but superheated plasma and light.

EDIT: You can actually make plasma in a microwave.​

 

[OneManGang]

You have to remember also, combustion is not the only way to produce fire. Nukes and stars produce heat, light, fire through fusion. You don’t need oxygen.

Having said that, the explosion will not be the same as in atmosphere. Mostly deadly radiation, I do believe there’s still an initial fireball or plasma since it’s so hot.

 

[Dorian Breh]

You have to remember also, combustion is not the only way to produce fire. Nukes and stars produce heat, light, fire through fusion. You don’t need oxygen.

I get what you're saying, but earthly "fire" as we know it, is different than what's happening on the surface of the sun. I guess they both involve heat and light, but it's probably an entirely different phenomenon

 

[OneManGang]

I get what you're saying, but earthly "fire" as we know it, is different than what's happening on the surface of the sun. I guess they both involve heat and light, but it's probably an entirely different phenomenon

Completely agree. Having said that, using fire on my behalf was on purpose. What exactly is fire? The main point is that the phenomenon of heat and light and plasma doesn’t need oxygen.

 

[ImLionyall]

The "fire" and Shockwave of nuclear blaste are the result of an atmosphere having its temperature raising several thousands of degree, almost instantly...blah blah blah expanding heat....the true danger of an explosing nuke in space is the radiation. It has not atmosphere to absorb it. No air to blow it around...that area will be a non go zone for a the foreseeable future.

 

[Geek Nasty]

Yes you need oxygen for combustion, you don’t need oxygen to heat something up to 10,000 degrees so fast it blows apart. NASA considered nukes for stopping killer asteroids.

 

[Mass]

This is a phenomenal thread.

refreshing to see.

 

[Dorian Breh]

Completely agree. Having said that, using fire on my behalf was on purpose. What exactly is fire? The main point is that the phenomenon of heat and light and plasma doesn’t need oxygen.

I guess the difference is that there's no air or suspended particles around to transmit heat through convection, it's all electromagnetic radiation coming directly from the source, but I don't have a better explanation