Strategic Defense Initiative

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Communism - mosaic hammer and sickle with star on the Pavilion of Ukraine at the All Russia Exhibition Centre (also known as VDNKh) in Moscow. Communist symbol of the former Soviet Union. USSR

Why Did the Soviet Union Collapse?

Germans from East and West stand on the Berlin Wall in front of the Brandenburg Gate in the November 10, 1989, photo, one day after the wall opened.

Timeline of the 1980s

Close up of a hand placing a ballot in a ballot box. Election vote voter voting

Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term?

Space race (1957-1969) infographic between United States (U.S.) and Russia. America, Soviet Union, U.S.S.R., space exploration

Timeline of the Space Race, 1957–69

Queen Elizabeth II addresses at opening of Parliament. (Date unknown on photo, but may be 1958, the first time the opening of Parliament was filmed.)

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The National Congress of Brazil in Brasilia City capital of Brazil. Brazilian National Congress designed by Oscar Niemeyer a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture.

11 Iconic Buildings in Brazil

Camel at Khor Rori, Oman; mammal.

Do Camels Store Water in Their Humps?

Statue of Liberty in front of the skyline of Manhattan, New York City, New York.

Who Was the Woman Behind the Statue of Liberty?

Hemp (Cannabis sativa).

9 Mind-Altering Plants

Calendar showing the month of February

Why Are There Only 28 Days in February?

Lead image for "A Timeline of the World in 8 Maps"

A Timeline of the World in 8 Maps

Venus, view of the northern hemisphere based on observations made by the Magellan spacecraft. The Maxwell Montes, Venus' highest mountain range, is the bright spot just below the center of the image. The Montes, and the dark areas above and to its left,a

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Strategic Defense Initiative: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Trump Wants to Build a ‘Golden Dome’ Defense System • Mar. 4, 2025, 9:52 PM ET (Wall Street Journal)

Facts

Also Known As	Star Wars • SDI
Areas Of Involvement	space exploration • nuclear warfare
Related People	Ronald Reagan

Topics

Central Intelligence Agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration KGB Federal Bureau of Investigation National Security Agency MI6 Mossad U.S. Secret Service U.S. Department of Defense Environmental Protection Agency

Quiz

Thermonuclear hydrogen bomb, code-named MIKE, detonated in the Marshall Islands in the fall of 1952. Photo taken at a height of 12,000 feet, 50 miles from the detonation site. (Photo 3 of a series of 8) Atomic bomb explosion nuclear energy hydrogen energy

Facts You Should Know: The Cold War Quiz