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Worldbuilding

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    $\begingroup$ I'm a little confused by your statement that space-capable nukes don't exist--ICBMs do in fact have a stage in their flight when they're in space. Missile tests have also been done to take out orbital targets. The main thing currently stopping the testing of nuclear weapons in space right now is international treaties. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 17, 2021 at 16:25
  • $\begingroup$ Space race has started exactly to build vectors capable of sending a payload on a ballistic trajectory to everywhere in the world. And that was after WW2. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 17, 2021 at 16:53
  • $\begingroup$ Anywhere that we can put a spacecraft, we can put a nuke. This answer is based on a false premise. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 17, 2021 at 17:16
  • $\begingroup$ Missiles that travels through LEO are very high but are only just in space and as rightly pointed out are on ballistic trajectories that fall back to Earth and must do so to be able to manouver in atmosphere to accurately get to their destination this is even before considering if they have the energy to achieve orbital speeds or the guidance could even work out how to hit something not on the ground and significantly smaller than a city. Original question suggests the existing arsenal is a large part of the hurdle. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 18, 2021 at 17:31
  • $\begingroup$ the only reason there are no nuclear weapons in space right now are international treaties. There were serious plans that were very close to implementation to have battle stations in orbit armed with nuclear warheads to bombard surface targets. Look up Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS for short). $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 19, 2021 at 7:32