The Rods from God is a orbital weapon system, capable of launching tungsten rod-like projectiles from outer space that neutralize its target with the tremendous force of a nuclear bomb but cause no subsequent radiation or fallout.

The idea for this kinetic superweapon is born during the height of the Cold War, popularized by Sci-fi novelist and aerospace engineer, Jerry Pournelle who claimed to invent tungsten rod-like strike systems during his work at Boeing.

Conceptually, the Rods from God features a pair of satellites orbiting several hundred miles above the earth which would served as a targeting and communications system. When instructed from the ground, the targeting satellite would command its partner, a heavy cylinder carrying numerous tungsten rods to launch at the designated target. These tungsten rods-up to 20 feet in length and a foot in diameter, travel into the earth’s atmosphere at a hypervelocity of 36000 feet per second in less than 15 minutes (Comparable to meteor) before causing complete devastation on the target. According to independent estimates, the impact of a multi-ton tungsten rod at the surface of Mach 10 Kinetic energy is equivalent to an explosion of 10-12 tons of TNT, rendering any underground and super-protected facilities useless. Thanks to its two platform-configuration, the fired rods are permitted to be reloadable with a new set of rods without replacing the entire system.

Although Pournelle’s concept was pitched to the Pentagon and research was carried out under the US Air Force’s “Project Thor”, no such weapon was ever produced or saw action, this is due to international treaties. Most specifically, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 which prohibited any country including the US from militarizing space. In addition to the extreme high cost of energy required to launch the whole system into orbit and operational difficulties in positioning the satellites for a quick , retaliatory strike.

Still, the concept of the “Rods from God” lives on in the minds of Sci-Fi entertainment and influence the exploration of Kinetic non-nuclear weapons as a potential alternative to all-out nuclear war.

https://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2004-06/rods-god/

https://www.mirasafety.com/blogs/news/rods-from-god-kinetic-orbital-strike?srsltid=AfmBOopwLeXRSRsEvxua_Bmi1H6V9NohYYRFuBPP7JIgs7cjm9zCcLcV

https://orbitaltoday.com/2025/08/10/rods-from-god-weapon-explained/

https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/these-air-force-rods-from-god-could-hit-with-the-force-of-a-nuclear-weapon/