In 1995, a single research rocket almost triggered a global nuclear war
The world came terrifyingly close to nuclear annihilation in 1995 when Russian radar operators mistook a peaceful scientific rocket for a surprise American missile attack on Moscow.
On January 25, 1995, the 'Norwegian Rocket Incident' nearly triggered World War III. Scientists launched a Black Brant XII rocket from Norway to study the aurora borealis, but Russian early-warning systems flagged it as a high-altitude nuclear strike. This was the only known time a 'nuclear briefcase' was activated and prepared for a retaliatory launch.
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