That Time the U.S. was Going to Build a Massive, Death Ray Equipped, Military Moon Base

TL;DR

The U.S. Army devised Project Horizon, a plan to construct a military base on the moon amidst concerns that the Soviets would dominate space exploration.

Transcript

During the Cold War, the U.S. government was hell-bent on one upping the commies in any way possible. In the process, they came up with a number of outlandish plans, such as that time they proposed nuking the moon, interestingly enough a project a young Carl Sagan worked on. There were also many more down to Earth projects like the development of w... Read More

Key Insights

• 👾 The U.S. Army developed Project Horizon during the Cold War to counter potential Soviet dominance in space.
• 🥮 The plan aimed to establish a military base on the moon before the Soviets, preventing them from claiming the entire moon and having a strategic advantage.
• 👨‍🔬 The proposed moon base would have included various features for sustainability, scientific research, and military defense.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did the U.S. Army want to build a military base on the moon?

The U.S. Army saw potential threats if the Soviets reached the moon first, such as the establishment of their own military base and the potential to claim the entire moon for themselves. Building a military installation on the moon would ensure the U.S.'s strategic advantage.

Q: How did the U.S. plan to transport equipment and supplies to the moon?

The U.S. Army planned to use Saturn rockets to transport cargo. An alternative plan involved launching cargo to a space station in Earth's orbit, which would then ferry the supplies to the moon.

Q: What features did the proposed moon base include?

The moon base envisioned in Project Horizon included nuclear reactors for power, scientific laboratories, hospitals, housing quarters, and a section for growing food. It would also serve as a communications hub and relay for deep space missions.

Q: Did the U.S. Army plan for defense against potential attacks on the moon base?

Yes, the astronauts stationed at the moon base were equipped with personal weapons, such as a space-gun and Claymore-like devices stationed around the perimeter. The plan also included a death ray and a nuclear gun for defense.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• During the Cold War, the U.S. Army developed Project Horizon, a detailed plan to build a military installation on the moon.

• The goal was to establish a base before the Soviets, who had expressed an intention to celebrate their 50th anniversary on the moon.

• The plan included transportation using Saturn rockets, construction of a base with features like nuclear reactors and scientific labs, and equipping astronauts with weapons like nuclear guns.