The Tsar Bomba, officially designated as AN602, was developed by the Soviet Union during a time of intense competition in the nuclear arms race with the United States. The bomb was designed to be a show of strength, elevating Soviet prestige in the face of Western fears of nuclear aggression. On October 30, 1961, the Soviet Air Force successfully detonated the bomb over Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, which provided a remote location for such a powerful explosion with minimal immediate civilian impact. The detonation occurred at a height of 4,000 meters to maximize its yield and effects. Soviet officials invited foreign diplomats to witness the test, sending a clear message about Soviet capabilities and resilience.The bomb itself was unique not only for its explosive power but also for the engineering challenges it presented; it was a three-stage hydrogen bomb. The explosion generated a fireball that was visible over 1,000 kilometers away, resulting in a mushroom cloud that ascended approximately 64 kilometers into the atmosphere. The resulting seismic shock registered on seismographs around the world. Environmental consequences of the explosion were severe, with significant fallout that blurred the boundaries of acceptable nuclear testing during the Cold War. This event was pivotal in showcasing the extent of the arms race, marking a point of no return in the size and destructiveness of nuclear weapons.