What's Next

[Carruthers]

I seem to have monopolised this thread but perhaps you'll indulge me a little more.

Some years ago I visited the SD Air & Space Museum at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

For a small fee it was possible to take a guided tour of the base proper although, in truth, it's such a big establishment that everything was so far away it was barely visible to the naked eye.

However, one exhibit does stick in my mind and that was the Minuteman silo with dummy round in situ.

What astonished me was how small the housing was which contained the warhead. A few feet tall and fewer feet wide. I couldn't believe it.

Interestingly, there was a cylindrical hole in the ceiling which was aligned with the Pole Star as part of the targeting system.

I can't remember the detail of how that worked but I do recall the cogged wheel lining the circumference of the silo which presumably rotated the missile for alignment purposes.

Instant mega death is so much more advanced these days.