In Greenland, NASA scientists discovered an abandoned Cold War U.S. military base called Camp Century under the ice sheet. The base was built in 1959 to test construction techniques and for scientific research but also served as a top-secret site for testing the deployment of nuclear missiles from the Arctic. It housed 85-200 soldiers and was powered by a nuclear reactor. The base was abandoned in 1967 after the missile launch program was rejected, leaving behind infrastructure and waste, including nuclear waste.
The base’s location under the ice sheet raises concerns about the potential release of waste due to climate change. As the ice melts, it could expose the waste, including 53,000 gallons of diesel fuel, 63,000 gallons of wastewater, and low-level radioactive coolant from the nuclear generator. Scientists estimate that 136 acres of waste from Camp Century are buried under the ice and could be released as early as 2090 if climate change continues.
The discovery of the base has shed new light on Cold War history and highlights the potential environmental consequences of abandoned military sites in the Arctic. NASA used advanced radar technology to reveal individual structures in the city, providing unprecedented insight into the base’s history and impact on the environment.
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