Greenland US Base Rediscovered

NASA has unexpectedly rediscovered a long-forgotten U.S. military base buried beneath about 30 metres (100 feet) of Greenland’s ice during a flight in April aimed at testing advanced ice-mapping radar. The relic, known as Camp Century, lies hidden under the vast ice sheet in northwestern Greenland and its rediscovery has reignited discussions about Cold War history and environmental risks.

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Camp Century was built in secret beginning in 1959 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of a Cold War project called Project Iceworm. The facility consisted of 21 interconnected tunnels with living quarters, power systems—including a small nuclear reactor—and research spaces carved into the frozen ice. Although publicly presented as a scientific research station, its covert purpose was to explore the feasibility of deploying U.S. nuclear missiles under the ice close to Soviet territory, a plan never realised.

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By 1964, shifting and melting ice threatened the structural integrity of the tunnels, forcing abandonment by 1967. The base was decommissioned, the nuclear reactor removed, and snow and ice have since completely buried the installation beneath the ice sheet. Camp Century faded from public view after declassification in the 1990s, with scientists only now able to map its remnants in three dimensions using NASA’s Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR).

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Experts are watching the rediscovery closely because of the environmental implications: buried chemical, biological, and radioactive waste left at the site could eventually re-emerge as Greenland’s ice melts due to climate change. Researchers stress the importance of monitoring the base’s remains as ice conditions continue to evolve.

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Looking ahead, scientists plan further analysis of the radar data to refine models of ice sheet structure and assess how climate-driven melting might expose historical sites like Camp Century. The findings may also influence future policies on managing legacy waste in ice-covered regions.

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NASA Science

Key Takeaways

NASA’s April radar flight unexpectedly mapped the buried remains of the Cold War-era Camp Century base beneath Greenland’s ice.

Built in 1959 under Project Iceworm, the installation was abandoned by 1967 due to unstable ice and never housed nuclear missiles.

Researchers warn that climate-driven ice melt could eventually expose hazardous materials left at the site.

Adapted From various sources.

https://www.futura-sciences.com/en/nasa-rediscovers-secret-military-base-buried-under-greenlands-ice-sheet_22884/

https://deadline.com/2025/02/r-j-cutler-camp-century-project-iceworm-documentary-1236281322/