Decades Old Nuclear Missiles Finally Launched As Orbital Rockets

The Minotaur Series of rockets developed by Orbital Sciences corporation probably incorporate some of the oldest bits of hardware currently launching things into space. The Minotaur 1 is based on old Minuteman II boosters, while the Minotaur IV uses old Peacekeeper boosters.
These use missiles which were decommissioned and placed in storage decades ago, but with some quality checks they're cleared to fly again and carry government payloads into space.

[@quazar5017]

"It goes supersonic in something like 15 seconds" - so the standard KSP ascent profile

[@bluemountain4181]

All it's missing are a dozen first stage engines and asparagus staging

[@backwoodsjunkie08]

Its not a ksp launch unless ur on fire within the first 15 seconds😆😆

[@petlahk4119]

Actually, if you're weird like me and part of the considerations you put into building in KSP is minimizing launch cost, and maximizing Delta-V, no. Probably the reason we don't get rockets like these in the commercial sector is because they aren't efficient in either of those two ways. The military pays for the losses in efficiency because what they are after is in-fact that very fast acceleration and speed, so the thing is harder to shoot down.

[@ExaltedwithFail]

@@petlahk4119 also its incredibly difficult to make a reliable asparagus staging rocket in real life and most of the stuff we do in KSP would be very hard to recreate without a massive fail rate. When i make the most efficient delta V rockets its usually got 7 large bottom rockets with asparagus staging and then similar setups for second/third stages depending on how crazy of a mission im doing. Also alot of rockets have issues of reigniting once turned off in space which makes some of the stuff we do impossible

[@followthegrow108]

Lol

[@dvasymmetry9696]

I keep thinking, "Store in a cool, dry place." for the retired boosters.

[@ruthgar9753]

Not too hot, not too cool, just like the way they were kept while in the silos.

[@thunderbird1921]

The Peacekeeper was one insanely powerful missile. When it's able to go Mach 2 within 15 secs, even with an upper stage and satellite payload, that ought to be a hint at the capacity this had back in its service days.

[@danepcarver4951]

They were designed to be in an underground silo for a longtime.

[@hmu05366]

Great patter man

[@pjbth]

Nice Hiss

[@ArchilochusOfParos]

This channel is such an oasis. No politics, no controversy, no begging for Likes and Subscriptions, just straight up quality content and production. Thanks Scott, you're a class act.

[@adamp.3739]

What every KZbinr should aspire to be - consistent, good content, no pandering or begging. He should be KZbin's golden boy, not Jake Paul or whatever.

[@Truth_Hurts528]

Unfortunately he does insert politics into his videos from time to time. Including some misleading info on the Iran nuclear deal in one vid.

[@brazeiar9672]

Science channel presenters seem overly keen to remind us of their liberal credentials with often irrelevant mentions of the American President who will leave soon anyway, or of the referendum in which the majority of British voters chose to leave the European regulatory system (EU).

[@IcespherePlaysGames]

@@brazeiar9672 It's only "liberal" because conservatism is famously anti-science and anti-logic.

[@Nilguiri]

No politics? He covered more than one Israeli mission. If that doesn't make him an infanticidal Zionist, I don't know what does!

[@Damien.D]

"Fly safe" on top of a repurposed nuclear ICBM.

[@klinky]

Waaaaaahooooooo! Yeee awahaaaaahooooo!

[@brentboswell1294]

The Mercury and Gemini astronauts did just that... 😉

[@brianmessemer2973]

Zefram Cochrane's trick 👍

[@jamesdriscoll9405]

@@klinky Ride it Slim

[@spacefreeman]

Safely deliver nuclear warheads 🤔

[@BON3SMcCOY]

"The only space vehicle I can think of launched from under water" definitely sounds like it needs its own video if it doesnt already have one.

[@PArabinddeep]

*SEA DRAGON*

[@metalfusionf]

1. Load the rocket (missile) into a nuclear sub. 2. Have the Russian navy launch it from the equator as an exercise. 3. Profit!

[@johnehteshami725]

Yah why are more rockets launch with at least the three first stage rocket under water? It may be easier to stabilize and the water would catch all that smoke at least in part.

[@carbon1255]

@@johnehteshami725 I'm guessing you have never worked with water. It isn't preferable to work with.

[@yastreb.]

Volna is a really cool story. They had only one orbital launch attempt and we still don't know if it succeeded or not. Maybe the rocket worked but the payload failed to separate, who knows. In that case it would be the only underwater satellite launch ever, as well as the northernmost orbital launch site and one of only three such sites in Europe.

[@jeremyklein9679]

There's even an Orion stage? They need to stop naming space things Orion; it's getting too confusing!

[@JohnSmith-en9yb]

Poor Scott's son Orion...

[@jeremyklein9679]

@@JohnSmith-en9yb oh, yeah that too! I had forgotten about that. But I do like that name for carbon based life forms!

[@phillipsturtles1236]

There's the NRO's Orion spy satellite too which launches on Delta IV Heavy. I've seen people get confused with that since EFT-1 Orion flew on Delta IV Heavy too lol

[@9thperspectivegames]

Who knows? Perhaps it is an orion project stage(read: blew up)

[@afwaller]

No it’s called the “onion” stage. That’s because it’s like an ogre, it has layers

[@MechE_Emma]

*Launches Rocket* “We took out the nuclear payload, right?” “Uh oh...” The launch was truly spectacular, and I can only imagine how loud that rocket is!

[@MustachioFurioso9134]

And that's how we lost Jebediah Kerman.

[@bigmac3373]

@@MustachioFurioso9134 OH NO

[@SteveSiegelin]

Y'all keep talking about killing Jebediah and I'm going to go up to cocoa and put a damn big black rock there and call it Jebediah Memorial😂

[@bobroberts2371]

See also, the USA TV sitcom from 1975 - 76 " Far Out Space Nuts " and to a lesser extent the 1979 show " Salvage 1 "

[@Freakingbean]

Na the nuke is the final stage of propulsion

[@jonreeves3374]

It was shocking when they called Mach 2 and about 10 seconds later called out Mach 3. These things are quick.

[@Damien.D]

The fastest the warheads arrives on target, the less time there is for interception and to launch a retaliation strike. It's the whole point of space-based warhead launch platform as Soviet envisioned them, basically, no launch, no delay, just nuclear doom surprisingly knocking at your door. When militarization of space got banned, they devised the dead man's hand automated second strike, a system that would launch an all out nuclear rain on the world in case of a first nuclear strike, to ensure the world to be erased if Moscow falls. Sovies puts the MAD doctrine to the extreme, and the fun fact is that this device is probably still ticking somewhere, forgotten in an abandoned bunker, waiting to obliterate mankind on a false assumption, Skynet style.

[@Gonza-lh2vo]

@@Damien.D If there's still such a system in place, I guess there are manual interrupts.

[@phuzz00]

Another way in which Dr Strangelove was scarily accurate. (For the film they also had to build a set of the inside of a B-52, but the USAF wouldn't let them near one, so they used whatever public sources they could find and basically just guessed. It turned out to be so accurate that the USAF investigated to see if they'd actually been spying.)

[@johndemeritt3460]

ICBMs are meant to run like a raped ape -- once the launch order is given, you don't want to have them hanging around trying to get into the sky. That's why we abandoned liquid fueled ICBMs: if they're not pre-loaded with propellants -- like the Titan IIs were -- you've got to load the fuel and oxidizer before your missile can fly. And if you have a missile like the Titan II loaded and ready to go in an underground silo, you have an accident waiting to happen. Just ask the residents of Damascus, AR.

[@sysbofh]

@@johndemeritt3460 I didn't know that raped apes where that fast,...

[@phoenixdundee]

Imagine how excited those rockets are to be finally going into space ... I always think of them as early versions of the bomb from Dark Star

[@benfurriel4519]

Let there be light

[@Andrew-13579]

"Good morning, gentlemen. Peacekeeper...I mean Minotaur Number 20, ready for launch. If the missile officers will kindly turn their keys, I will initiate onboard, terminal countdown and be on my way. I'm so excited to execute my mission. ...3, 2, 1, have a nice day, gentleman. I know I will." :)

[@theothercasper]

“I find it fascinating that these rockets have sat around in storage for decades and they’re pretty much still ready to go at a moment’s notice.” I think that’s a primary design criteria for ICBMs. 😀 Any idea whether the launch data feeds back into the USAF to help maintain the current ICBM arsenal?

[@thelight3112]

Are they using Minuteman III's for launch vehicles, or just the OG Minuteman and Minuteman II? I'm pretty sure the USAF only has had MM3's fielded for the past 15 years, but data from the 2's might be somewhat relevant if they share components.

[@robertsutton8894]

@@thelight3112 Wouldn't be surprised if there is a big box of bits & bobs out the back

[@j.jasonwentworth723]

@@juanixinauj That makes sense--keeping records of each motor's (including its TVC--Thrust Vector Control--system) performance (and its thrust)--after X years in storage adds to the reliability and quality control database for each motor type and its solid propellant formulation. The same thing is done in hobbyist rocketry, where certain numbers of each motor type are stored for many years, then static fired on calibrated test stands (to record the motors' reliability, their thrust output [thrust vs. time curves] after years of storage, and so on).

[@TheBarrytube]

@@michaelhernandez476 Airman "currently stationed @ F.E. Warren AFB", if what you're saying is even true, I wonder what the USAF, the IG, and your Chain of Command would be saying right about now? What impact could this have on National Security? What about your PRP status, military career and your freedom? Does "Leavenworth" ring a bell with you?

[@directcurrent5751]

​@@TheBarrytubewhat's this aboot?

[@UncleWermus]

This Rocket: "FIIIIIIIINAAAAAAALLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"

[@BrokenLifeCycle]

I read that with Invader Zim’s GIR voice for some reason.

[@guillermoelnino]

why did i think naughty thoughts because you said that?

[@user-lp7tx1fe6t]

That's why it was so fast, it was super excited

[@SymbioteMullet]

I really like that you can see the supersonic shock forming exactly as Scott says the word "Supersonic". Good planning!

[@drtidrow]

11:55 That was part of the design requirements for the booster: sit in a silo for years, but still able to fire within a minute or two of being activated. Probably they had some sort of stabilizers mixed in with the fuel grain, so that it wouldn't degrade much over time.

[@bbgun061]

“I’m Scott Manley” [ad] “Fly safe” Why, KZbin?

[@p38sheep]

Benjamin Brooks ya that was super annoying.

[@p38sheep]

bradeng700 ya could be I suppose! Good point.

[@alexmarshall4331]

That was a bit naff of the algorithm 👉💤👉🚮

[@small_SHOT]

didnt happen to me

[@yastreb.]

* Laughs in adblock *

[@RCAvhstape]

The thing about Atlas and Titan is that they were such good launch vehicles, and so inadequate as alert-worthy weapons, that they actually stayed in production as launchers long after they were retired as weapons. These solid fuel jobs, on the other hand, are really optimized as weapons, designed to sit in storage for years, like cartridges in a rifle magazine, and then work simply and reliably if fired in anger. They will get warheads to the other side of the planet very quickly, but they aren't as efficient as liquid fueled launchers, can't lift as much mass for a rocket of their size, and their high accelerations, desired in a weapon, can be rough on more delicate payloads. But it's good that they've found a niche launch market.

[@directcurrent5751]

Good point. Not making more.

[@_iphoenix_6164]

I mean, better than finally using them as nukes :D

[@user-te7rf8ik7z]

The payload is classified, maybe it is a meganuke...

[@anicorp4952]

Nah, using it as a nuke would have been better, especially these days.

[@MrViki60]

Nukes are pretty cool. You're gay.

[@Ben-ew3hv]

@@MrViki60 If anyone launches a nuke at this point we basically all die, its pretty MAD. So yeah, nukes suck

[@crankyunicorn4423]

surely is hope it just a spy satellite

[@h.cedric8157]

I Lost it when the *"Launched a frog into internet fame"* was mentioned 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 9:20

[@small_SHOT]

ah yes

[@inocencio9392]

@@small_SHOT yes

[@rune12358]

Sitting unused for decades, and then being ready to launch at a moment's notice with high reliability, _was_ kind of the main design consideration when they drew these things up. Hence 'modern' ICBMs being (almost) all solid-fueled, with very stable propellant formulations. It sounds startling, but it is kinda obvious if you think about what they were made for.

[@directcurrent5751]

Good point and well stated.

[@etherealswordsman3214]

The Minotaur series of rockets is probably my favorite series of launch vehicles currently in operation. Also, as far as i know the Minuteman I and C are both still planned to fly, though they don't have any launches currently scheduled i think. also, the 3 is also in active development still i think. not sure why, but meh. The 6 *very much is* in active development still iirc. either way, they're just my favorite launches to watch. they just get off the pad so fast, it's so cool. Solid rocket boosters my beloved

[@MrWATCHthisWAY]

Fly safe, say that to the frog. 🐸 it’s funny you mention this when talking about using nuclear delivery devices!

[@icollectstories5702]

Thanks; I always wondered how fin-less solid rockets were guided, as the instructions for my solid model rockets were very stern about having them go straight via fins and launch rod. The liquid-injection thrust-modulation technique is very clever. Way back, I remember reading that MIRVs used "strong springs" to separate and receive their final guidance to individual targets. I guess calculating ballistic re-entries is that simple??

[@jasoncarswell7458]

"Repurposed ICBM, you say?" *Zefram Cochrane wants to know your location*

[@delphicdescant]

First Contact is the entire reason I clicked on the video.

[@bob2859]

Welcome to Mercury 2: Mercury Harder (only 60 years late)

[@georgewashington938]

was that one with John C. Reilly?

[@paulhaynes8045]

"They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." And they said we were dreamers in CND.

[@deth3021]

You get that these are still being used for military purposes right?

[@jackandersen1262]

@@deth3021 The goal of any ICBM is to sit there and look pretty.

[@deth3021]

@@jackandersen1262 no it's there as 2 of the legs of triad/mad. I.e. not all looks and no action.

[@ManuelBTC21]

"due to a supplier that forged test data". Where have I heard that before. Seems to be a pattern.

[@anonymous_bacon2383]

Where tho? I legit don't know.

[@jmannUSMC]

@@anonymous_bacon2383 The Challanger disaster, kind of. In that case though the data wasn't forged, management just decided to ignore it and deem the design safe.

[@icollectstories5702]

Always a risk when working with one or more other people.🙃 You could do an incoming-quality check, but that might be only statistical (especially if you test to failure) and would definitely drive up costs. If this is a government spending your money, would you prefer they take the lowest bid or just "no-bid" it?

[@thePronto]

I really don't understand the thinking there. You can cheat on a test at school and hopefully, you won't be caught out. But forged test data is intended to cover up some shortcomings in the component. So rather than the alternatives of being late to deliver, or even losing the contract: the outcome will, in all likelihood, be failure of your component and then your troubles are only just beginning. Baffling...

[@ManuelBTC21]

@@thePronto I think the test data might be expensive to generate. If you trust that your product is good, the temptation is to cut a corner and save some money. Trouble is when your wrong about how good your product is.

[@boatsport88]

FYI - Thiokol, Hercules, and Alliant Techsystems became a part of ATK then Orbital ATK then Northrop Grumman

[@billhanna2148]

Monopolies are BAD anywhere 😌

[@SuperAWaC]

@@billhanna2148 the blank checks that came from the government during the space race and cold war is over, there's not enough business to have tons of companies anymore.

[@TheNefastor]

Imagine how happy those old rockets must be : they finally get to fly, and they don't even need to end mankind to do it.

[@Lintary]

It is impressive that they still can just be hoisted up the stand and launched, but then on the other hand that was part of the design criteria when they build these and I got a feeling the people who build these knew what they where doing.

[@rdyer8764]

Fascinating! Would be cool to see altitude and velocity vs. time graphs as compared to the Falcon 9. Also would like to see where Max-Q would be on those graphs.

[@GewelReal]

Whole graph would be Max Q

[@georgeniebling6566]

Before it clears the pad ;-)

[@KOZMOuvBORG]

Another (live) video mentioned that Falcon 9 passed Mach 1 about a minute after launch and Max-Q not long after. Minotaur went supersonic at 17 but didn't reach Max-Q until after Mach 2 (but don't think as high up as when the Falcon did, moving faster).

[@bigronimal06]

My favorite KZbin channel, hands down. CLOSELY followed by Tim Dodd "The Everyday Astronaut". Scott Manley, you're awesome!

[@daemonhat]

i'm Scott Manley, f... (ad break)... ly safe.

[@calinolteanu8079]

Same here. YT seems to be overdoing it a tad these days.

[@kitnaylor7267]

@@calinolteanu8079 I installed adblock once they started insisting they wanted to play 2 ads back-to-back before, after and during a video. I'm usually happy to donate a few seconds of my time for a free and open internet, but for a company making as much of a killing as Google, this really is taking the piss.

[@Damien.D]

I've nuked ads from YT since the beginning.

[@Marinealver]

What was the ad?

[@armr6937]

Sly Scott lol

[@jroar123]

Yes, My uncle headed up Texas Instruments missile division that oversaw some of these missiles. He once told me that after every single living organism on the planet was dead the missiles would continue to explode for another 30 minutes. I think he would’ve been proud to see some of his work being used for something more civilized.

[@mrpicky1868]

would be interesting to hear more on how icbms keep orientation and such a high accuracy aim independently and over long flight. solutions used for managing solid boosters also very interesting

[@The76Malibu]

I'm sure that was confidential info for decades, might still be.

[@mrpicky1868]

@@The76Malibu apparently not)

[@Damien.D]

Once programmed and launched, it's 100% inertial guidance. ICBM are designed to strike at the target even if the whole world is reduced to atomised ashes during their short flight time.

[@mrpicky1868]

@@Damien.D 1 that is well known and my question was what methods they use. 2 you went into fairy-tale territory for no reason. when i wanted to continue engineer oriented discussion

[@williamduffy1227]

There are little pixies inside that guide it to it's target... 😄😄

[@AstroDragon33]

"you remember when alliance changed this thingy, right?" Me on every SM video "oh yeah sure of course"

[@harryschaefer5887]

I remember the the blasted frog. I was able to see that nightime launch from Wallops Island from my home in Silver Spring Maryland. I love the night launches from Wallops.

[@donhull2440]

Scott, I appreciate how you keep coming up with videos of obscure but highly interesting parts of the history of rockets and space exploration. Thank you for your great work.

[@neonempire1684]

Is the high TWR a problem for satellites? How can a satellite be adapted to these structural loads and vibrations?

[@flaviog.7628]

yes

[@kettlehead8994]

If they can put a GPS device in an artillery shell they can put a satellite in an ICBM

[@zamp42]

Adapted with more space tape

[@gehteuchnixan69]

Struts. Lots and lots of struts

[@neonempire1684]

@@kettlehead8994 well, just that it would eat deeply into payload capacity

[@ralikdiver]

I did not know about this. I thought it odd. I knew we had lots of old solid propellant boosters left over from various programs. I worked on C-3 Poseidon in the Navy. I was thinking just a few weeks ago that someone should be able to use them for small, low earth orbital launches.

[@mattcolver1]

Titan II was also a ballistic missile and it was modified by adding strap on solids to be a satellite launcher called the Titan IIIC. At McDonnell Douglas we built the payload Fairing for the Titan IIIC. We also created a new aft end of the Titan IIIC payload fairing to create a 10 ft diameter payload fairing for Delta II. Those fairings were expensive and took a long time to build and were replaced by the 10ft Composite fairings when we had a lot of commercial Iridium and Globalstar launches. Composite fairings cut costs and production time. The cheaper fairings also made the launches much more profitable.

[@makarlock]

Elon Musk in like 2001: did somebody say purchase Russian ICBM launch? Elon Musk in 2002: ok nvm i'm doing it myself

[@TheLoaKai]

I actually maintain the Minuteman III for a living! It's good to see these weapons being used for non-weapon needs!

[@paaat001]

I also maintained Minuteman III and Peacekeeper missiles. I am glad they can still be used for SLVs but I also remember that hard work we put into maintaining them as an overwhelming deterrence we never had to use.

[@TheLoaKai]

@@paaat001 It's surreal seeing them actually being used for something and not just being tested or or rotting away.

[@owenpatterson9355]

Peacekeepers are mind-boggling machines. I remember standing in the missile garden at the US Air Force museum and thinking that there is enough nuclear firepower in this room to kill every person on earth. That really puts things into perspective for a person, but I love seeing these engineering marvels go back to work as orbital launch vehicles! Edit: I know that statistically speaking 10 missiles probably can’t vaporize the entire human population. It’s just very hard to comprehend the power of these weapons, and it only gets harder when you stand next to a booster and a warhead. Also, nobody’s ever turned the launch key on a peacekeeper, but I suspect that if they did, the nuclear fallout would be one of the most deveststing events in human history.

[@Mike-oz4cv]

“there is enough nuclear firepower in this room to kill every person on earth” Source? Nuclear bombs are terrifying weapons, but a few kilometers of blast radius are tiny compared to the land mass of the Earth. nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/?&kt=350&lat=48.20849&lng=16.37208&hob_psi=5&hob_ft=7220&ff=50&psi=20,5,1&zm=12

[@jeffreyroot6300]

If you were in a museum there weren’t any nuclear cores there.

[@backwoodsjunkie08]

@@jeffreyroot6300 what?!? U mean they wouldnt put a nuclear warhead in a super low security area.... Ur crazy!

[@muninrob]

@@Mike-oz4cv If you take the kill count per kiloton at Hiroshima, and then extrapolate how many people the current nuclear arsenal would kill the number is FAR higher than the global population. If you take the square feet that a person takes up, and multiply that times the population of the earth, it's a smaller area than the combined blast radii of the US nuclear arsenal. There's lots of ways to juggle the numbers to come out with "enough nukes to kill every person on earth", but the last time I looked at actual real world casualty estimates, the Pentagon was predicting high 20's to low 30's for the percent of the world's population that would die. (Late 80's early 90's)

[@2406ab]

@@muninrob i could kill every person on earth with a single knife... this is a stupid kind of measurement.

[@MarkoVukovic0]

Thank you, Scott. Excellent presentation as always!

[@poisonouspython1410]

The longevity and reliability of these vehicles is a proper tip of the hat the engineering and production skill that went into them

[@charlie_diggle]

At 9:23 there is a flying frog 😂

[@danielvandermerwe7921]

I’d rather see a nuke go off in 8k resolution. Not killing anyone of coarse :p

[@gonufc]

With >40000 frames per second camera recording the plasma and thermal wave. Not worth the trouble but fascinating.

[@RamboVital]

Or in this case 12 nukes going off since its the Peacekeeper that they are talking about. :D 2 types. Type 1 is a MLRS, (Multiple Launch Rocket System) it blankets a large area equally with all the nukes to destroy/EMPed/radiate the largest area possible. Type 2 is a Mountain base destroyer where all nukes go off at the same time when it hits the mountain target. I would love to see one in 8K and @OncelWasYou idea as well. Got to have the lovely super slow mode. So, I guess that means we need at least 2 missiles for a recording of both types. :D

[@BlackEpyon]

There's not much to see at 8K, since the intense UV and gamma washes out on the camera (not to speak of what it does to your eyeballs if you're looking at it directly). What you're looking for is the pretty mushroom cloud.

[@armr6937]

@@gonufc I'd argue it's COMPLETELY worth the trouble. Surely Novaya Zemlya doesn't mind going for another round (less oompf this time). Sure, some fallout. Wonder how much of that the ruskie nuke wundermissile left lying around in the Arctic. Could be an interesting part of Lunar sightseeing though. And having so many the show could go on for a long time, as well as actually doing us some good in the process. Imagine that shit.

[@armr6937]

@@BlackEpyon I think Feynman decided the glasses were bullshit and looked at Trinity through the glass pane of a car door. Something about regular glass blocking out most of the dangerous UV.

[@greghansen38]

I love these historical videos that take some subject and collects information about it and contextualizes it and makes sense of it. Yet another "thumbs up" for Scott Manley!

[@Jager-er4vc]

Mr. Manley.... I ABSOLUTELY LOVE your videos! Please keep going! I honestly look forward to your uploads!

[@yedoom]

Speaking of rockets with absurd acceleration it would be great if you did a video about the Sprint missile.

[@ariantes221]

Is it really surprising that they still work after sitting in storage for so long? After all, they were designed to sit in launchbays for years to be launched at a moments noticed in case nuclear war broke out.

[@lspringerjones]

Your research is fantastic Scott!

[@jamesfieweger8648]

Thanks for the awesome video Scott. Cheers!

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

You should do the R-36/SS-18 family of ICBM/Launch Vehicle. Fascinating technology fascinating history.

[@mg4695]

Early in my career, in the dark days of the Cold War, I worked on the Peacekeeper (or as I knew it at the time "MX") and Small ICBM (SICBM) missile systems. I eventually moved away from this to work on human spaceflight in part because I found it difficult to work on something I never wanted to see used. It's gratifying to see Peacekeeper being used for more peaceful pursuits. SICBM, by the way, was an early user of graphite wound solid rocket motors very similar in design to the Pegasus solid motors.

[@wriswith01]

Great video. I am always checking my feed for new Scott Manley videos.

[@nothingtoseehere1097]

Great video, Scott! Thanks!

[@permafrost7558]

The rockets became supersonic in seconds because they were happy to be going to space decades after their creation

[@RCAvhstape]

6:53 I like that 80s graphic design, like an ad for a toy rocket. "Get the new Peacekeeper Nuclear Missile by Hasbro! You and your friends will have hours of enjoyment posturing, threatening, and even nuking each other!"

[@jimlarsen6782]

You certainly do research into areas that are relavent and interesting. Thanks Scott.

[@markxfarmer6830]

The LGM-118 Peacekeeper ICBM was designed to carry up to 11 or 12 MIRVs (depending on the version of RV and warhead used) but I never heard of any fitted with more than 10 W87 warheads. The rest of the room was used for PENAIDS.

[@TheLoreExplorer]

Excellent, interesting topic scott. Thanks for teaching me about rocket science and orbital mechanics. ps - A "limited edition run" of Outer Wilds is available right now! but there is only a few days left to get it! I know you love that game so I figured id give you a heads up!

[@AugmentedGravity]

9:21 oh no poor boi

[@garageflower7154]

Really interesting video Scott, thanks!

[@alanoneuser]

Nice to hear these old weapons are being used for a less destructive purpose

[@zapfanzapfan]

1:46 An ICBM blowing a smoke ring, you have to appreciate the little things...

[@JKTCGMV13]

Makes sense we’d be launching the old ICBMs since we’re upgrading to new ones lol

[@yes_head]

Need to prove that we're abiding by disarmament treaties? Just sell off some old missiles. Then make new ones!

[@Reactordrone]

@@yes_head The Minuteman IIIs are a bit like the ship of Theseus. Technically the same missiles that were initially deployed but the solid motors, guidance system and warhead have been replaced.

[@forcea1454]

The Peacekeepers were more modern the the Minuteman IIIs currently in service. They were available because of the reduction US and Soviet Nuclear arsenals, not because they were replaced by anything better. It will take at least a decade for the Minuteman's replacement, GBSD, to enter service.

[@StovallsGarage]

Got to see one launch here in Florida. It was a iv for ORS5 ,night launch, Pretty spectacular to watch with how fast it accelerates and how quickly it drops stages.

[@demonic477]

I grew up in the cold war being born in 1961 I saw it all and getting to finally see these things put to good use and not dropping nukes every were is a blessing

[@puddlejumper6999]

hey scott, ive got an interesting idea that id like some feedback on. So ive been rewatching some older videos of some other youtubers and saw them using peltier units as coolers. apply voltage and it makes a hot side and a cold side. these can be used in reverse so cool one side and heat another to create voltage. now my idea is for low power satalites. using the special paint that is absolute black and absorbs 99% of all light energy, paint one side of the peltier so it gets hot. the other side will stay cool and generate power. do you think this would be a viable alternative to solar panels in space or do you think it wouldnt work as effectively?

[@markuskoivisto]

It would essentially be a really inefficient solar panel.

[@okrajoe]

Swords into plowshares, of a modern sort?

[@attinsona]

I learn something new every time I watch one of your videos.

[@tpatkinson12]

Hey Scott, been watching some streamers playing the RSS mod for KSP and running into the problem of not having a Ullage motor! You should do a video about their importance in the rockets we all know and love!

[@JC-ze2et]

Ever since Star Trek First Contact, I've wondered why we didn't hear about ICBMs being converted from missiles to rockets.

[@elkudos6262]

This time "Fly safe" has a but more to it, innit?

[@jhyland87]

Great video! You always have very high quality content - Thanks for sharing :-)

[@Wag2112]

Thanks Great Video !!

[@aceman67]

9:21 Poor froggy...

[@johnbuchman4854]

At least he made it safely across the road...

[@jimmyseaver3647]

Nice to see those swords used as plowshares.

[@liamtiam8828]

I saw the NROL 129 launch and it was my first! I LOVED IT!!!!!

[@mikerichards6065]

Great video Scott - any chance of a more detailed look at the SS-18/Dnepr if only for its amazing silo-launch!

[@rohanpatil5134]

9:26 frog In picture

[@fighter_pilot_1698]

Oh... think so...

[@ToTheGAMES]

Do you watch without audio? If not, try to listen a bit closer :) Scott talks about it.

[@rohanpatil5134]

@@ToTheGAMES oh yes 🤘🏻😂

[@fchanMSI]

You should see the silhouette of the frog in the exhaust plume.

[@Some.real.human.]

2020 needs more good space news

[@avejst]

Interesting as always 👍 Thanks for sharing 👍😀

[@tobilos_gaming]

Very good video keep going man

[@idostuff5722]

I have never been so early

[@chacdogful]

Same

[@themuffinfish2091]

Firrrssssttt

[@hoberghacienda2267]

Love the smoke ring that comes out of the solo when launched. (Sans warhead, of course!)😂

[@PongoXBongo]

Cool stuff. Whatever gets us closer to low-cost, daily launches is highly welcomed.

[@Anno-ls5uu]

I love how KSP this is. „Yeah, let‘s take this existing SRB and just stick this other existing one on top, that will surely get us to space“ :D

[@GhostFlashDrew]

love the intel, thank you Scott. #knowledge is #power

[@cut--]

I feel smarter jst listening to Scott ! 👍 oh well so much for that :)

[@wizzkidelectronics]

Makes sense now . I was hoping you would add this to your list of things to speak of .. I watched that launch the other day and I was saying wow that bad boy got moving in a hurry

[@StealthTheUnknown]

Pretty cool to see old hardware used for purposes other than strategic deterrence or glassing the surface of the planet.

[@freesaxon6835]

Interesting stuff, packed with facts thanks

[@alexmarshall4331]

Well put together video Scott...zero to supersonic in 15 seconds...Wow that is motoring...like the name Peacekeeper...a bit like Orwells Ministry of Peace dealing with all things related to war👉🇬🇧👉👉💎👉🎬👍

[@joshjohnson9423]

Taurus actually used the Peacekeeper SR-118 first stage on it's first three flights before switching over the Castor 120s. Minotaur I and Minotaur II are the only vehicles that use the Minuteman II hardware. I got to work on all the Minotaur vehicles (4 launches in total) and that was one of the best jobs I ever had.

[@duneideannaer5990]

Cheers Scott fae a fellow Scot🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@theodoreolson8529]

Your videos make me smarter. No easy feat....

[@GroovyVideo2]

Thanks

[@tomwatts703]

I got the pop-up notification saying 'Decades-old Nuclear Missiles Finally Launched' and genuinely for a microsecond thought someone had launched a pre-emptive strike

[@robertsutton8894]

That was the idea for WW4