Nevada Test Site:  A unique national resource, the Nevada Test Site (NTS) is a massive outdoor laboratory and national experimental center that cannot be duplicated. Larger than the state of Rhode Island, approximately 1,375 square miles, the NTS is one of the largest restricted access areas in the United States. The remote site is surrounded by thousands of additional acres of land withdrawn from the public domain for use as a protected wildlife range and for a military gunnery range, creating an unpopulated land area comprising some 5,470 square miles.

Established as the Atomic Energy Commission's on-continent proving ground, the NTS has seen more than four decades of nuclear weapons testing. Since the nuclear weapons testing moratorium in 1992 and under the direction of the  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), NTS use has diversified into many other programs such as hazardous chemical spill testing, emergency response training, conventional weapons testing, and waste management and environmental technology studies.

Larger than many small countries, the NTS offers an enormous amount of space, including more than a 1,000 miles of completely undisturbed land available for new projects. The vast site also offers security. The boundary and security areas are guarded, and the area is isolated from population centers.

Atmospheric and Underground Testing:
On January 27, 1951, ABLE was the first atmospheric nuclear test detonated at the NTS. When atmospheric testing ended in 1962, 100 atmospheric tests had been conducted. On August 5, 1963, all atmospheric testing was banned when the Limited Test Ban treaty was signed in Moscow, giving birth to the age of underground testing. The United States conducted 828 underground tests at the NTS. The last underground test, DIVIDER, was conducted on September 23, 1992.

More information about atmospheric and underground testing as well as other unique historical information about the NTS can be found at the Atomic Testing Museum.

Current Mission of the NTS:
The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) oversees operations for NNSA's Nevada Test Site. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; works to reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad. Due to the current moratorium on nuclear weapons testing, NNSA/NSO's primary mission is to support stockpile stewardship, environmental management, emergency response, and technology diversification.

NTS Facilities and Counterterrorism Training:
The NTS infrastructure is an essential element in a global network of key locations used on the war against terrorism for training, test and evaluation, and demonstrations of specialized technologies. Training the nation's first responders in a realistic, operational environment prior to facing a real world WMD event is essential, where minutes and actions are critical.