The time in 1978 when a Soviet nuclear-powered satellite crashed into Canada and scattered radioactive debris everywhere

Thu, 12/28/2023 - 08:30

The moon rises over a giant statue of Vladimir Ilych Lenin, former Bolshevik leader of the 1917 October Revolution and the first Head of state of the Soviet Union , on March 16, 1992, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
Sven Creutzmann/Mambo Photo

In 1978, a Soviet nuclear-powered satellite malfunctioned and crashed into northern Canada.
Kosmos 954 spread radioactive debris across hundreds of miles, leading to an extensive cleanup.
Reactions by the US, Soviet Union, and their respective allies marked a major moment in the Cold War.

Almost 50 years ago, a Soviet nuclear-powered satellite experienced a malfunction, fell out of the sky, and exploded over North America, scattering dangerous debris.