That Time We Gave Earth a Ring Made of Millions of Tiny Needles

Project Westford was a US military initiative in the 1960s to create a ring of copper needles around Earth to improve communication reliability during the Cold War. The project aimed to overcome the limitations of undersea cables and the unpredictable ionosphere. Despite initial failures, a successful launch in 1963 demonstrated the concept's viability. However, the advent of satellites and protests from scientists led to the project's decline. The legacy of Project Westford includes increased awareness of space debris and its impact on space exploration.

Describe how the ionosphere was used for communication before the implementation of Project Westford.

What was the main goal of Project Westford initiated by the US military?

What were the reasons for the failure of the initial test of Project Westford?

Explain why satellites became a preferred solution over the Project Westford's communication system.

What impact did Project Westford have on our understanding of space debris?