NOVA bomb: Difference between revisions

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It was intended for the NOVA bomb to be used in space against the [[Covenant]] [[Covenant fleet|fleet]] during the [[Battle of Reach]]. The remaining NOVA bombs were left on [[Reach]] and "repurposed" by [[Admiral Whitcomb]]. His reasoning was that "''either the Covenant pack those bombs up and take them home for study, a possibility that I hope to God happens. A bomb like that could crack their homeworld in two. Or, the bombs stay here and they'll stop the Covenant on Reach...''"<ref name="fs180"/>
It was intended for the NOVA bomb to be used in space against the [[Covenant]] [[Covenant fleet|fleet]] during the [[Battle of Reach]]. The remaining NOVA bombs were left on [[Reach]] and "repurposed" by [[Admiral Whitcomb]]. His reasoning was that "''either the Covenant pack those bombs up and take them home for study, a possibility that I hope to God happens. A bomb like that could crack their homeworld in two. Or, the bombs stay here and they'll stop the Covenant on Reach...''"<ref name="fs180"/>


The only documented triggering of a NOVA bomb occurred when it was accidentally detonated by a group of [[Huragok]] stationed on the [[Covenant supercarrier]] ''[[Sublime Transcendence]]''. Immediately after [[Kwassass]], a fellow crew member, deciphered Admiral Whitcomb's message, the Huragok, through their curiosity and frenzied obsession, fixed the circuitry of the bomb, detonating it despite Kwassass's attempts to stop them. The Huragok completed the detonation timer's circuit, which promptly resulted in its activation. The resulting explosion occurred between a Covenant outpost planet [[Joyous Exultation]] and its moon, [[Malhiem]], scorching half of the planet and shattering the moon. The resulting winds on Joyous Exultation flattened cities and spawned tidal waves. Radiation flooded the planet and killed everything living on it, penetrating the surface of the planet to its core. Every ship within the NOVA bomb's range, save for those on the opposite side of the planet, boiled and vaporized in an instant. The explosion was described as though "a small star had erupted between Joyous Exultation and its moon."<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 244''</ref>
The first documented triggering of a NOVA bomb occurred when it was accidentally detonated by a group of [[Huragok]] stationed on the [[Covenant supercarrier]] ''[[Sublime Transcendence]]''. Immediately after [[Kwassass]], a fellow crew member, deciphered Admiral Whitcomb's message, the Huragok, through their curiosity and frenzied obsession, fixed the circuitry of the bomb, detonating it despite Kwassass's attempts to stop them. The Huragok completed the detonation timer's circuit, which promptly resulted in its activation. The resulting explosion occurred between a Covenant outpost planet [[Joyous Exultation]] and its moon, [[Malhiem]], scorching half of the planet and shattering the moon. The resulting winds on Joyous Exultation flattened cities and spawned tidal waves. Radiation flooded the planet and killed everything living on it, penetrating the surface of the planet to its core. Every ship within the NOVA bomb's range, save for those on the opposite side of the planet, boiled and vaporized in an instant. The explosion was described as though "a small star had erupted between Joyous Exultation and its moon."<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 244''</ref>


The NOVA bomb explosion completely destroyed three-fifths of the fleet that was there, totaling over 300 ships. Eighteen [[Covenant destroyer|destroyers]], two [[Covenant cruiser|cruisers]], one [[Covenant carrier|carrier]] and the flagship ''[[Incorruptible]]'' escaped the NOVA bomb explosion due to a [[Slipspace]] jump ''en masse'' just moments prior to the explosion. Other ships arrived to reinforce the ''Incorruptible'' arrived from Joyous Exultation, suggesting that they escaped the bomb's detonation as a result of being positioned on the opposite side of the planet.
The NOVA bomb explosion completely destroyed three-fifths of the fleet that was there, totaling over 300 ships. Eighteen [[Covenant destroyer|destroyers]], two [[Covenant cruiser|cruisers]], one [[Covenant carrier|carrier]] and the flagship ''[[Incorruptible]]'' escaped the NOVA bomb explosion due to a [[Slipspace]] jump ''en masse'' just moments prior to the explosion. Other ships arrived to reinforce the ''Incorruptible'' arrived from Joyous Exultation, suggesting that they escaped the bomb's detonation as a result of being positioned on the opposite side of the planet.


During the [[Battle of Installation 05]], and the subsequent quarantine of the Installation and [[High Charity]], [[Cortana]] requested that UNSC [[UNSC High Command|HIGHCOM]] deploy a NOVA bomb around [[Installation 05]], to stop the outbreak of the [[Flood]], and High Charity, in order to destroy the Covenant holy capital.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 183''</ref> However, it is apparent that this request was not granted, as High Charity was not bombed and later landed on [[Installation 00]].
During the [[Battle of Earth]], ONI initiated [[Operation: SUNSPEAR]] and forwarded a high priority message to the [[Spartan-II program|Spartans]] of [[Gray Team]], declaring "Condition: Endgame" under which they were to execute the detonation of a NOVA bomb on the surface of the Covenant colony world of [[Glyke]], a major military production center home to billions of [[Sangheili]]. Deploying from the ''[[UNSC Vacuna]]'', Gray Team made landfall and activated the warhead on the planet's surface. Once out of range the NOVA bomb was detonated, destroying the planet and all life on its surface.<ref name="Envoy"/>
 
During the [[Battle of Installation 05]], and the subsequent quarantine of the Installation and [[High Charity]], [[Cortana]] requested that UNSC [[UNSC High Command|HIGHCOM]] deploy a NOVA bomb around [[Installation 05]], to stop the outbreak of the [[Flood]], and ''High Charity'', in order to destroy the Covenant holy capital.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 183''</ref> However, it is apparent that this request was not granted, as High Charity was not bombed and later landed on [[Installation 00]].


== Theory ==
== Theory ==