Everything Everywhere Daily · Sunday, September 13, 2026
The Cheyenne Mountain complex, located beneath thousands of feet of granite in Colorado, was designed during the Cold War to remain operational during a nuclear attack. Its construction began in 1961 following the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles and the launch of Sputnik, which demonstrated the Soviet Union's capability to deliver nuclear warheads across intercontinental distances. The complex was built underground to serve as a hardened command center for NORAD, capable of withstanding extreme blast pressures.
“Designed during the Cold War to remain operational during a nuclear attack, it features massive blast doors, buildings mounted on giant springs, and systems built to withstand a catastrophe.”
“Few military installations are as recognizable or misunderstood as the Cheyenne Mountain complex outside Colorado Springs, Colorado. Built at the height of the Cold War, it was designed to keep the command structure responsible for defending North America functioning during a nuclear attack.”
“The obvious solution was to move the command center underground.”