LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, one chapter of American history was written in the Nevada desert, where the Nevada Test Site became the center of the country’s nuclear testing program during the Cold War.
The National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas preserves that history, telling the story of what happened at the site roughly 65 miles northwest of the city.
President Truman established the Nevada Test Site in 1950. It was formally activated in 1951 at the height of the Cold War and ultimately served as the location for 928 nuclear weapons tests.
Scott Wade, chairman of the board of trustees for the National Atomic Testing Museum, said the program emerged from unanswered questions following the Manhattan Project.
“After the atomic bomb was developed by the Manhattan Project and the two weapons were used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there were still questions about how to safely utilize them — even as a weapon of war, this was emerging technology, something that had never been done before,” Wade said.
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Wade’s connection to the site is personal. His father began working there in 1958 and eventually rose through the Atomic Energy Commission, retiring as the Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs in charge of the nation’s nuclear weapons program.
In the 1990s, Wade’s family, along with six other families of former employees, worked with state and federal partners to establish the Atomic Testing Museum.
“There are a lot of feelings about nuclear weapons, and that’s actually the wonder and beauty of a museum,” Wade said.
Supporters of the program argue its influence extended well beyond military strategy. Wade said the testing program advanced scientific research with applications that reach into medicine today.
“I don’t think as a nation, maybe as a world, we would be anywhere near as far as we are with nuclear material separation even for medical uses,” Wade said.
Supporters also argue the program’s greatest impact was helping deter a global nuclear conflict during the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
The Nevada Test Site is now known as the Nevada National Security Site and continues to operate. Wade said Nevada’s role in nuclear security remains active.
“Right now, nuclear weapons are still a very big topic. So we’re saying it’s history, but really, Nevada is still playing a very critical role in our everyday lives,” Wade said. “Everything still contributes to making sure that the weapons that are within the stockpile are safe and secure. And because you can’t do an underground nuclear weapons test, you do it with pieces and parts so you understand those pieces and parts.”
The Nevada National Security Site continues to play a role in maintaining the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile.
The National Atomic Testing Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
How smartphone apps turn your night sky into a space map
Astronomy apps help you spot constellations, planets and satellites in real time using your smartphone.
Skywatchers across the U.S. are about to be treated to a dazzling weekend filled with not only two active meteor showers, but a celestial alignment starring the moon.
For two nights, Earth’s only natural satellite will host a cosmic party with three planets — Mars, Saturn and Uranus.
The phenomenon, often called a planet parade, presents spectators with a rare opportunity to see not only multiple planets, but also the moon, appear close together in the night sky — at least, from Earth’s vantage.
The best part of the show? Most of the striking spectacle — with the exception of Uranus — will be visible to the naked eye.
Here’s everything to know about the rare sight, as well as when, how and where you can see it across the United States.
The moon will appear in the night sky before sunrise on Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12, NASA said in a monthly skywatching guide.
While the term “planet parade” is not an official astronomy term, it is an unofficial way for astronomers and stargazers to refer to certain celestial events.
The planets in our solar system orbit the sun essentially along a line across the sky in a flat disc-shaped plane called the ecliptic.
Another term for a certain kind of planetary alignment, planet parades are what happens when planets line up along the ecliptic in a straight line and appear to us on Earth to be marching across the night sky, according to NASA. So, while planetary alignments themselves aren’t special, it is notable to have an opportunity to observe multiple planets at once.
During the celestial alignment, the moon will be entering a waning crescent phase before we have a new moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. That means Earth’s only natural satellite is getting less and less full and bright each night as its crescent gets thinner and thinner, NASA explains.
That’s good news for stargazers, as the moon will still be visible without outshining the planets nearby.
Look toward the eastern sky to catch the cosmic lineup in the early morning.
While the moon will of course be the easiest to locate, Mars will look like a small reddish point of light, while Saturn is also bright and easy to spot, NASA explained in a video.
For the clearest views, there are several places that are an easy drive from Reno where you can get a clear view of the stars, including:
Cloudy conditions may bring relief from the recent heat wave, but they could spoil the early-morning view of the planetary parade in much of northwestern Nevada.
Mars and Saturn are among the five planets in our solar system visible without optical aid — along with Mercury, Venus and Jupiter. Telescopes certainly will enhance the view but spectators don’t need any equipment to spot those planets joining the moon in the pre-dawn sky.
As for Uranus, the planet is typically not as bright — despite being the third largest in our solar system — and will require a telescope to see, NASA said.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com. The Reno Gazette Journal’s Carly Sauvageau and Brett McGinness contributed to this report.
A Nevada man is believed to have suffered a deadly fall while climbing in Oregon.
He’s been identified as 77-year-old Robert Pickering.
Search and rescue crews say they found his body along Mount Washington, northwest of Bend, according to a social media post from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
A climbing guide reported hearing a rockslide near the summit after Pickering passed his group.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office was one of several groups that assisted in the search.
RENO, Nev. – A homicide suspect from Montana took their own life on Thursday night after police surrounded their car in northwest Reno, reports KTVN 2 News Nevada.
The incident happened in the area of Sharlands Avenue around 9 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the Reno Police Department.
Officers located the suspect and surrounded their car, blocking them in. They then heard a single gunshot and backed away.
Reinforcements were called, and a drone was brought in by UNRPD. It was then confirmed the suspect was in their car, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the news agency reports.
The suspect has not been identified pending the notification of next of kin, and no additional information has been released at this time.
In addition to the Reno Police Department, the Regional Narcotics Unit and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
The investigation is ongoing.
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