A method to detect nuclear weapons in Earth orbit has been proposed by scientists, addressing a long-standing challenge in verifying the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. The treaty prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons in space, but its enforceability has been hampered by the lack of a viable monitoring system.
A satellite passing through the Van Allen radiation belt a few years ago raised concerns that it might be carrying a nuclear weapon. An explosion in such an orbit could cripple global space infrastructure. Professor Areg Danagoulian, an Associate Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT, has published research in the journal Nature detailing a concept that could make it possible to detect a thermonuclear device in orbit.
The technology aims to overcome the technological impossibility of direct verification that has plagued space arms control efforts for decades. The specifics of how this detection method would work were explored in a discussion on BBC's Inside Science program. The development comes as global reliance on space-based infrastructure continues to grow, making the security of orbit increasingly critical.