HAS MARS BEEN USED AS A WEAPONS TESTING GROUND?

If America has placed a base on Mars, one use of the base would be weapons testing. Dr John Brandenburg in the article linked below has found evidence of nuclear weapons use on Mars. Brandenburg thinks that Mars was a involved in an ancient nuclear war. I believe there is a simpler theory explaining his data.

The United States set up a Mars base in the 1960's or 1970's. This was technologically possible using the Nuclear Thermal Rockets being developed under the ROVER/NERVA programs. This base is used for testing exotic nuclear weapons. It is a way for America to subvert the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

So, Dr. John Brandenburg is working an intelligence operation. He is dog whistling to the world's intelligence agencies letting them know that America is testing weapons on Mars.

The cost to lift this Mars Mission into orbit using Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR's) is 500 Million Dollars in 2007 dollars. It would have cost 86,210,000 dollars in 1968. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2998835/Were-Martians-wiped-nuclear-bomb-Physicist-present-new-evidence-bizarre-theory-Nasa-conference.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Nuclear-Test-Ban_Treaty