Nevada Test Site

Former Nevada Proving Grounds, currently the Nevada Test & Training Range is located in Nye County about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas covering appx 1,375 square miles. Its location was preferred for a number of reasons: the facilities at the existing bombing range within which it would lie (landing strips, housing, etc) its proximity to Highway 95 for personnel access and the predictable weather. All in all 928 documented atmospheric and underground nuclear tests occurred at the Nevada Test Site.Between 1951-1992
Nuclear weapons tests occurred in 4 regions within the Test Site:
Frenchman Flat, at grid 36°49'49"N 115°56'1"W
Yucca Flat, at grid 37° 3'43"N 116° 2'27"W
Rainier Mesa, at grid 37°12'32"N 116°14'7"W
Pahute Mesa. at grid 37°13'24"N 116°32'28"W
3 types of tests were conducted: weapons effects, weapons design and tests involving the military who conducted operations near ground zero for the purpose of developing battleground tactics and strategies.
Other regions, such as Jackass Flats, were used for other nuclear-related testing but not for weapons tests.

Pressured by international concern over radioactive fallout, US government began to move tests underground. The majority of underground tests took place at Yucca Flat, Rainier Mesa and Pahute Mesa. Satellite photographs of Yucca Flat show the craters caused by these tests. The last underground test took place on September 23, 1992

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