What happens if a nuculear missle is launched and is intercepted by an anti-missle defense system in mid air?

Question

Does the atmosphere get contaminated by the nuclear device....?

Answer 1

It will not go ballistic that way, there will be some contamination on the ground where the debris falls. The Nuke has to detonate properly for a nuclear exsplosion.

Vet-USAF

Answer 2

More than likely the warhead would fall back to earth without opening.  It would NOT detonate.  Even if it was fractured and the high explosive initiator material was detonated, the worst that would happen would be some localized contamination from the fissile material.  

There are 2 types of detonations, high order and low order.  A high order detonation can ONLY result from the signals from the arming system.  If the timing is off even by a micro-second, high order detonation will NOT occur.  The arming system isn't activated until very shortly prior to the intended detonation time so no physical impact with anything, even high explosives, can result in an un-commanded high-order detonation.  A low-order detonation is when the high explosive initiator material is improperly triggered, either by timing failure, tampering, or impact with external explosives.  It would scatter the fissile material of course but that would be it.  The distance that it would be scattered would depend upon its altitude and speed.  A low-order detonation at ground level might scatter nuclear material a few city blocks.  At speed and altitude it could cover hundreds or even thousands of miles but the concentration of the contamination would be spread over a wide area and would therefore be less dangerous to the environment.

The warheads themselves are pretty tough.  Several were lost at sea back in the 1960s and there is no known release of radioactive materials.

Answer 3

The new Missile Defense system does not fire armed missiles. The design is to hit the "incoming" object and put it down simply by hitting it. This hopefully occurs before it arms itself in the case of nukes.

The Patriot and Arrow have explosive warheads not the new one in Alaska. Not sure about the Arrow but the Patriot was designed to blow when it got close to the target.

The plutonium is still going to come to earth or in the case of non Russian nukes HE (highly enriched uranium). I will guess there is still the chance they detonate, not sure what those odds are.

Answer 4

It would "Kaboom !", then the radioactivity and the waste would swirl around the country due to strong winds the higher you are above ground. Millions in a series of continents would be affected, and whomever sent the bomb would be hated by millions.

Craig.

Answer 5

Nuclear missiles ar programed to detonate at the proper time. If it were to be shot down it wont detonate into its full power. it would simply fall apart.But it still might cause radiation from the plutonium or uranium contamination.  

Answer 6

Usually the missile breaks up and falls on to the area that it was destroyed.  However, the popular misconception is that you will see widespread death and destruction.  Some clean up / decontaimation will be required, but radation spread would be minimal because there would not be a nuclear reaction when the weapon was destroyed.  And no there would not be large contamination of the atmosphere because most parts of the destroyed missile would be too heavy to remain in the atmosphere.

Answer 7

It goes away. No more "Earth shattering KABOOM!"