DOE FACTS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING
UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR WEAPON TEST
OF REACTOR-GRADE PLUTONIUM

U.S. Department Energy
Office of Public Affairs
Contact: Sam Grizzle
(202) 586-5806

The Department of Energy is providing additional information related to a 1962 underground nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site that used reactor-grade plutonium in the nuclear explosive.

SPECIFICALLY:

BACKGROUND:

This test was conducted to obtain nuclear design information concerning the feasibility of using reactor-grade plutonium as the nuclear explosive material.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. Why wasn't the exact yield of the event released?

Q. What was the quantity of reactor-grade plutonium used in the test?

Q. What is the grade of plutonium used in U.S. nuclear weapons?

Q. Why is weapon-grade plutonium better than reactor-grade plutonium in weapons?

Q. If this was a successful test as you indicate, why didn't the United States use reactor-grade plutonium in nuclear weapons?

Q. What was the source of the reactor-grade plutonium?

Q. What was the actual plutonium isotopic composition used in this test?


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