13. Project Pluto: The Flying Nuclear Reactor
In the late 1950s, the U.S. initiated Project Pluto to develop a nuclear-powered cruise missile, known as the Supersonic Low Altitude Missile (SLAM). Designed to fly at Mach 3 near treetop level, the missile would carry multiple thermonuclear warheads. However, concerns over radioactive emissions, technical challenges, and the rapid advancement of intercontinental ballistic missiles led to the project’s cancellation in 1964. Learn about Project Pluto.
