tiktaalik
9th of June 2006 (Fri), 12:36
http://www.pbase.com/image/61456840/medium.jpg
Fortunately, it never arrived and these missiles never launched.
This is from the Titan Missile Museum in Tucson, Arizona. During the Cold War there were 54 of these silos on constant alert (18 near Tucson), each ready to launch a 9 megaton thermonuclear warhead. The other 53 silos have now been deactivated but this one remains as a museum. The warhead on the missile is a dummy and a hole cut in the side to show it's not armed. The silo door is blocked half-open to allow visitors and passing satellites a view.
Here's a shot from below, looking up. That big spring near the center helps keep the launch platform steady. The whole place is on springs and shock absorbers in order to reduce motion from (1) the launch of this missile and (2) the shock from other nuclear warheads exploding nearby.
http://www.pbase.com/image/61457410/medium.jpg
Apologies if this is in the wrong place - I couldn't quite figure out where it should go and hey, missiles transport things from Point A to Point B, right?
I'm working on a small gallery (http://www.pbase.com/ladycrumb/titan_missile_museum) of other photos relating to this absolutely fascinating (and rather terrifying) museum. I highly recommend a visit if you're ever in Tucson.
Julie
Fortunately, it never arrived and these missiles never launched.
This is from the Titan Missile Museum in Tucson, Arizona. During the Cold War there were 54 of these silos on constant alert (18 near Tucson), each ready to launch a 9 megaton thermonuclear warhead. The other 53 silos have now been deactivated but this one remains as a museum. The warhead on the missile is a dummy and a hole cut in the side to show it's not armed. The silo door is blocked half-open to allow visitors and passing satellites a view.
Here's a shot from below, looking up. That big spring near the center helps keep the launch platform steady. The whole place is on springs and shock absorbers in order to reduce motion from (1) the launch of this missile and (2) the shock from other nuclear warheads exploding nearby.
http://www.pbase.com/image/61457410/medium.jpg
Apologies if this is in the wrong place - I couldn't quite figure out where it should go and hey, missiles transport things from Point A to Point B, right?
I'm working on a small gallery (http://www.pbase.com/ladycrumb/titan_missile_museum) of other photos relating to this absolutely fascinating (and rather terrifying) museum. I highly recommend a visit if you're ever in Tucson.
Julie