I feel compelled to post some images of inertial guidance systems. Most of these parts are from the Minuteman 1 although there are some earlier and later guidance system components.
The white backplane and the gyroscopes are Minuteman 1 parts.
>The MGS is an inertial guidance system which directs the flight of the missile. The guidance system operates continuously while the missile is in alert status, thus enabling the missile to be launched in less than one minute.
I wonder how often the missile is in alert status? Presumably regular testing?
For those just skimming the guidance system info (for Minuteman III) starts on page 49. Looks like they miniaturized it some and that giant moon lander backplane seems to be substantially reduced?
> I wonder how often the missile is in alert status?
In 1972-74 when I was a Minuteman I launch officer (DMCCC) our 10 missiles were /always/ on alert. You would expect to see 10 green "Strategic Alert" lights across the crew commander's (MCCC's) console unless something was wrong (requiring maintenance or a brief calibration).
IIRC we were in a perpetual state of DEFCON 4 in those days.
As a Minuteman launch officer, I'd be curious what are your thoughts on the incursion accounts of launch officers Robert Salas & David Schindele? (I understand there were comparable reports going into the 1970s as well but I'm not as familiar with those)
I was gonna say, they were always on alert. It's in the book. The inertial platforms at least were always spinning because it took a long time (minutes) to spin them up, or down.
Apart from regular testing, I would imagine anything at or above DEFCON 3 would put missiles in alert status. That level requires the USAF to be ready to go in 15 minutes.
BTW you can see some of these at the Air and Space Museum in DC, and a smaller set at the Computer Science Museum in ... Palo Alto? Mountain View? (that area)
My thinking is we are focused on making circuits too small. We need big circuits that make big but simple decisions. I was collecting pre-microprocessor computing artifacts for a while. I now need to get sit down and figure out what I have.
In the meantime I use them as reference idea to feed my development of a 100 year computer.
who passed early atomic weapon design information to the USSR.
The irony of a family exercising pivotal roles on both sides of a global power-shaping conflict. The 2nd Wikipedia article's cited background, from The Nation:
This has more detail than I would have expected, but I see there’s virtually nothing about the reentry bus. From what I’ve read, that’s where most of the secret sauce involving accuracy comes into play.
South Dakota is home to a preserved missile site. I'd highly recommend stopping by if you're ever in the area. It was fascinating to see the control room as the tour guides talked through the launch protocol.
Back in high school ~17 years ago I came across a website talking about it, then a couple months later on a road trip, I remembered it as we were driving though South Dakota. We were about 7 miles away when I remembered, and it was well worth stopping.
It's bizarre that this type of information is made publicly available due to freedom of information legislation. What is the benefit? Or is it merely an acceptable side effect of the greater good that FoIA delivers?
It's lacking in information of real military value, e.g. accuracy, failure rate, effectiveness of countermeasures, precise alloys used, etc. It's basically a description of a rocket, which probably isn't a surprise to other nations who are themselves building rockets.
The difference is that in 1948, the other side couldn't do anything about it even if it wanted to.
The other difference is that literally everything has changed in the past 76 years. But sure, maybe if we dig up Truman, Stalin, Chiang Kai-shek, Mao, and Churchill, and put them and their cabinets back in charge, it might work out.
The white backplane and the gyroscopes are Minuteman 1 parts.
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0YG4TcsmGWIVSf