::Operation Teapot
::concepts
{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}

Operation Teapot was a series of fourteen nuclear test explosions conducted at the Nevada Test Site in the first half of 1955. It was preceded by Operation Castle, and followed by Operation Wigwam. Wigwam was, administratively, a part of Teapot, but it is usually treated as a class of its own. The aims of the operation were to establish military tactics for ground forces on a nuclear battlefield and to improve the nuclear weapons used for strategic delivery.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The United States test series summary table is here: United States' nuclear testing series.
The detonations in the United States' Teapot series are listed below:
Name<ref group=note>The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China have not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions - Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 - 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.</ref> | Date time (UT) | Local time zone<ref group=note>To convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it's 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day.</ref> | Location<ref group=note>Rough place name and a Latitude/Longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.</ref> | Elevation + height<ref group=note>Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.</ref> | Delivery<ref group=note>Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.</ref> | Purpose<ref group=note>Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.</ref> | Device<ref group=note>Designations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.</ref> | Yield<ref group=note>Estimated energy yield in tonnes, kilotonnes, and megatonnes (all metric units).</ref> | Venting<ref group=note>Emissions to atmosphere, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and everything if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.</ref> | References | Notes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wasp | 19:59:59.2 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 7 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0866|-116.0228 | name=Wasp
}} |
free air drop | weapon effect | Mk-6 | 1 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | convert}} and {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} across. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Moth | 13:00:45.0 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 3 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0477|-116.022 | name=Moth
}} |
tower | weapons development | XW-30 ? | 2 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | Proof test of XW30 air defense warhead. Used an ENS (external neutron source) initiator. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Tesla | 13:00:30.3 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 9b {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.1255|-116.0484 | name=Tesla
}} |
tower | weapons development | Cleo I | 7 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | First successful UCRL test; used linear implosion, ZIPPER initiator. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Turk | 13:00:20.2 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 2 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.1383|-116.1184 | name=Turk
}} |
tower | weapons development | XW-27D "Linda" primary | 43 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Test of primary for XW-27 class D, lightweight thermonuke, in an XW-27 mockup. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Hornet | 13:19:59.8 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 3a {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0402|-116.0261 | name=Hornet
}} |
tower | weapons development | XW-30 ? | 4 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | Boosted XW-30. A sealed pit D-T gas boost design, with ZIPPER initiator. | ||||
Bee | 13:04:59.9 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 7 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0947|-116.0248 | name=Bee
}} |
tower | weapons development | XW-25 ? | 8 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | LASL sealed pit D-T gas boosted design, with ZIPPER initiator. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
ESS | 20:00:30.0 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 10 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.1683|-116.0448 | name=ESS
}} |
cratering | weapon effect | Mk-6 HE | 1 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | "Effects Sub-surface". Test for ADM (Atomic Demolition Munition). Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Apple-1 | 12:00:55.1 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 4 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0955|-116.1037 | name=Apple-1
}} |
tower | weapons development | 14 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Primary failed; expected 40 kt. Desert Rock VI. | |||||
Wasp Prime | 17:59:54.8 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 7 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0866|-116.0586 | name=Wasp Prime
}} |
free air drop | weapons development | 3.2 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Repeat of Wasp. Desert Rock VI. | |||||
HA | 18:00:04.1 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 1 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0286|-116.0586 | name=HA
}} |
parachuted | weapon effect | 3.2 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | "High altitude" test of air-air missile warhead similar to Wasp Prime; parachute retarded (only one at NTS). | |||||
Post | 12:00:30.2 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 9 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.1226|-116.0347 | name=Post
}} |
tower | weapons development | Cleo II | 2 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | LLNL Linear implosion. ENS initiated. | ||||
MET | 19:00:15.3 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 5 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:36.798|-115.9298 | name=MET
}} |
tower | weapon effect | 22 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | "Military Effects Tower". Supposed to be a standard effects test, LASL clandestinely substituted experimental U233/Pu core, thus undershot estimated yield by a third. Desert Rock VI. | |||||
Apple-2 | 12:00:10.0 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 1 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.053|-116.1034 | name=Apple-2
}} |
tower | weapons development | 29 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Retry of Apple-1. Desert Rock VI. Operation Cue, civil defense exercise. | |||||
Zucchini | 11:59:59.9 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 7 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0947|-116.0248 | name=Zucchini
}} |
tower | weapons development | 28 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Test of Class D primary/secondary system. |
Table notes:
Operation Teapot sections
Intro Individual blasts References External links
PREVIOUS: Intro | NEXT: Individual blasts |
<< | >> |
Convert::style Center::nevada Teapot::national Security::coord Display::inline Nuclear::tower
{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}

Operation Teapot was a series of fourteen nuclear test explosions conducted at the Nevada Test Site in the first half of 1955. It was preceded by Operation Castle, and followed by Operation Wigwam. Wigwam was, administratively, a part of Teapot, but it is usually treated as a class of its own. The aims of the operation were to establish military tactics for ground forces on a nuclear battlefield and to improve the nuclear weapons used for strategic delivery.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The United States test series summary table is here: United States' nuclear testing series.
The detonations in the United States' Teapot series are listed below:
Name<ref group=note>The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China have not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions - Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 - 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.</ref> | Date time (UT) | Local time zone<ref group=note>To convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it's 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day.</ref> | Location<ref group=note>Rough place name and a Latitude/Longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.</ref> | Elevation + height<ref group=note>Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.</ref> | Delivery<ref group=note>Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.</ref> | Purpose<ref group=note>Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.</ref> | Device<ref group=note>Designations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.</ref> | Yield<ref group=note>Estimated energy yield in tonnes, kilotonnes, and megatonnes (all metric units).</ref> | Venting<ref group=note>Emissions to atmosphere, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and everything if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.</ref> | References | Notes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wasp | 19:59:59.2 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 7 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0866|-116.0228 | name=Wasp
}} |
free air drop | weapon effect | Mk-6 | 1 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | convert}} and {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} across. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Moth | 13:00:45.0 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 3 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0477|-116.022 | name=Moth
}} |
tower | weapons development | XW-30 ? | 2 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | Proof test of XW30 air defense warhead. Used an ENS (external neutron source) initiator. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Tesla | 13:00:30.3 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 9b {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.1255|-116.0484 | name=Tesla
}} |
tower | weapons development | Cleo I | 7 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | First successful UCRL test; used linear implosion, ZIPPER initiator. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Turk | 13:00:20.2 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 2 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.1383|-116.1184 | name=Turk
}} |
tower | weapons development | XW-27D "Linda" primary | 43 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Test of primary for XW-27 class D, lightweight thermonuke, in an XW-27 mockup. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Hornet | 13:19:59.8 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 3a {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0402|-116.0261 | name=Hornet
}} |
tower | weapons development | XW-30 ? | 4 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | Boosted XW-30. A sealed pit D-T gas boost design, with ZIPPER initiator. | ||||
Bee | 13:04:59.9 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 7 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0947|-116.0248 | name=Bee
}} |
tower | weapons development | XW-25 ? | 8 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | LASL sealed pit D-T gas boosted design, with ZIPPER initiator. Desert Rock VI. | ||||
ESS | 20:00:30.0 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 10 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.1683|-116.0448 | name=ESS
}} |
cratering | weapon effect | Mk-6 HE | 1 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | "Effects Sub-surface". Test for ADM (Atomic Demolition Munition). Desert Rock VI. | ||||
Apple-1 | 12:00:55.1 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 4 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0955|-116.1037 | name=Apple-1
}} |
tower | weapons development | 14 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Primary failed; expected 40 kt. Desert Rock VI. | |||||
Wasp Prime | 17:59:54.8 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 7 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0866|-116.0586 | name=Wasp Prime
}} |
free air drop | weapons development | 3.2 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Repeat of Wasp. Desert Rock VI. | |||||
HA | 18:00:04.1 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 1 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0286|-116.0586 | name=HA
}} |
parachuted | weapon effect | 3.2 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | "High altitude" test of air-air missile warhead similar to Wasp Prime; parachute retarded (only one at NTS). | |||||
Post | 12:00:30.2 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 9 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.1226|-116.0347 | name=Post
}} |
tower | weapons development | Cleo II | 2 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | LLNL Linear implosion. ENS initiated. | ||||
MET | 19:00:15.3 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 5 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:36.798|-115.9298 | name=MET
}} |
tower | weapon effect | 22 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /><ref name=LT_24 /> | "Military Effects Tower". Supposed to be a standard effects test, LASL clandestinely substituted experimental U233/Pu core, thus undershot estimated yield by a third. Desert Rock VI. | |||||
Apple-2 | 12:00:10.0 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 1 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.053|-116.1034 | name=Apple-2
}} |
tower | weapons development | 29 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Retry of Apple-1. Desert Rock VI. Operation Cue, civil defense exercise. | |||||
Zucchini | 11:59:59.9 | PST (-8 hrs) |
NTS Area 7 {{#invoke:Coordinates|coord}}{{#coordinates:37.0947|-116.0248 | name=Zucchini
}} |
tower | weapons development | 28 kt | convert}} | <ref name=LT_150 /><ref name=LT_148 /><ref name=LT_6 /><ref name=LT_1 /> | Test of Class D primary/secondary system. |
Table notes:
Operation Teapot sections
Intro Individual blasts References External links
PREVIOUS: Intro | NEXT: Individual blasts |
<< | >> |