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Bulletin of the Atomic ScientistsonBluesky1d ago
On January 25, 1995, scientists in Norway launched a meteorological research rocket.
It was immediately picked up by Russian early warning systems designed for nuclear weapons.
The incident is important to reflect on today, write Jamie Withorne @jamiewithorne.bsky.social and Raven Witherspoon. ⬇️
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Analysis Summary
This is a well-documented historical event. On January 25, 1995, Norway launched a meteorological rocket from Andoya that Russian early warning radar detected and briefly misinterpreted as a potential U.S. nuclear missile strike—so serious that President Yeltsin activated his nuclear briefcase for the first time ever. The incident underscores how gaps in pre-launch notification protocols between military and diplomatic channels can create dangerous near-misses, making it highly relevant to the post-New START arms control environment discussed in the linked article.
Claims Analysis (2)
“On January 25, 1995, scientists in Norway launched a meteorological research rocket.”
The Andoya rocket launch occurred in the early morning hours of January 25, 1995.
“It was immediately picked up by Russian early warning systems designed for nuclear weapons.”
The Black Brant XII rocket was detected by the Olenegorsk early-warning radar station; the radar operators initially misinterpreted the rocket's trajectory as representing a precursor to a possible attack.
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