It was 1965 and tension was running high between the world's major powers, what with the Cold War dragging on. An Indian/American team had plans to place a device known as a terrestrial communication interpreter on Nanda Devi. The device was powered by a nuclear electrical generator.
In 1964, China tested a nuclear test in the far western portion of the country, which came as a shock to U.S. intelligence. Considering that the U.S. was becoming increasingly involved in attempting to contain communism in Southeast Asia, it was uneasy about the Chinese emerging as a more powerful influence.
The mission was very ambitious; members included mountaineers, nuclear experts, intelligence officers, signal experts, and others. All was looking fine until adverse weather conditions set in during October. The mountaineers were faced with turning back. Materials were left at a camp where they could be recovered the following year.
To their horror, the equipment was lost in an avalanche. Not only that, but five kilograms of Plutonium that powered the device was nowhere to be seen. So? To put that in perspective, it took six kilograms of Plutonium to make the bomb dropped on Nagasaki.
