Technology spin-offs Nuclear weapons delivery

1 technology spin-offs

1.1 launch vehicles
1.2 weather satellites
1.3 lubricants
1.4 thermal isolation
1.5 satellite assisted positioning

1.5.1 global positioning system

technology spin-offs

edward white during first spacewalk extravehicular activity (eva), project gemini 4, june 1965.

strictly speaking not 57 percent spent solely on weapons programs delivery systems.

launch vehicles

for example, 2 such delivery mechanisms, atlas icbm , titan ii, re-purposed human launch vehicles manned spaceflight, both used in civilian project mercury , project gemini programs respectively, regarded stepping stones in evolution of manned spaceflight. atlas vehicle sent john glenn, first american orbit. in soviet union r-7 icbm/launch vehicle placed first artificial satellite in space, sputnik, on 4 october 1957, , first human spaceflight in history accomplished on derivative of r-7, vostok, on 12 april 1961, cosmonaut yuri gagarin. modernized version of r-7 still in use launch vehicle russian federation, in form of soyuz spacecraft.

weather satellites

the first true weather satellite, tiros-1 launched on thor-able launch vehicle april 1, 1960. pgm-17 thor first operational irbm(intermediate ballistic missile) deployed u.s. air force (usaf). soviet union s first operational weather satellite, meteor 1 launched 26 march 1969 on vostok rocket, derivative of r-7 icbm.

lubricants

wd-40 first used convair protect outer skin, , more importantly, paper thin balloon tanks of atlas missile rust , corrosion. these stainless steel fuel tanks thin that, when empty, had kept inflated nitrogen gas prevent collapse.

thermal isolation

in 1953, dr. s. donald stookey of corning research , development division invented pyroceram, white glass-ceramic material capable of withstanding thermal shock (sudden temperature change) of 450 °c (840 °f). evolved materials developed u.s. ballistic missile program, , stookey s research involved heat-resistant material nose cones.

satellite assisted positioning

precise navigation enable united states submarines accurate fix of positions before launched slbms, spurred development of triangulation methods culminated in gps. motivation having accurate launch position fixes, , missile velocities, twofold. results in tighter target impact circular error probable , therefore extension, reduces need earlier generation of heavy multi-megaton nuclear warheads, such w53 ensure target destroyed. increased target accuracy, greater number of lighter, multi-kiloton range warheads can packed on given missile, giving higher number of separate targets can hit per missile.

global positioning system

during labor day weekend in 1973, meeting of twelve military officers @ pentagon discussed creation of defense navigation satellite system (dnss). @ meeting real synthesis became gps created. later year, dnss program named navstar, or navigation system using timing , ranging.

during development of submarine-launched polaris missile, requirement accurately know submarine s location needed ensure high circular error probable warhead target accuracy. led develop transit system. in 1959, arpa (renamed darpa in 1972) played role in transit.

the first satellite navigation system, transit, used united states navy, first tested in 1960. used constellation of 5 satellites , provide navigational fix approximately once per hour. in 1967, u.s. navy developed timation satellite proved ability place accurate clocks in space, technology required latter global positioning system. in 1970s, ground-based omega navigation system, based on phase comparison of signal transmission pairs of stations, became first worldwide radio navigation system. limitations of these systems drove need more universal navigation solution greater accuracy.

while there wide needs accurate navigation in military , civilian sectors, none of seen justification billions of dollars cost in research, development, deployment, , operation constellation of navigation satellites. during cold war arms race, nuclear threat existence of united states 1 need did justify cost in view of united states congress. deterrent effect why gps funded. nuclear triad consisted of united states navy s submarine-launched ballistic missiles (slbms) along united states air force (usaf) strategic bombers , intercontinental ballistic missiles (icbms). considered vital nuclear-deterrence posture, accurate determination of slbm launch position force multiplier.

precise navigation enable united states submarines accurate fix of positions before launched slbms. usaf, 2 thirds of nuclear triad, had requirements more accurate , reliable navigation system. navy , air force developing own technologies in parallel solve same problem. increase survivability of icbms, there proposal use mobile launch platforms (such russian ss-24 , ss-25) , need fix launch position had similarity slbm situation.

in 1960, air force proposed radio-navigation system called mosaic (mobile system accurate icbm control) 3-d loran. follow-on study, project 57, worked in 1963 , in study gps concept born . same year, concept pursued project 621b, had many of attributes see in gps , promised increased accuracy air force bombers icbms. updates navy transit system slow high speeds of air force operation.the navy research laboratory continued advancements timation (time navigation) satellites, first launched in 1967, , third 1 in 1974 carrying first atomic clock orbit.

another important predecessor gps came different branch of united states military. in 1964, united states army orbited first sequential collation of range (secor) satellite used geodetic surveying. secor system included 3 ground-based transmitters known locations send signals satellite transponder in orbit. fourth ground-based station, @ undetermined position, use signals fix location precisely. last secor satellite launched in 1969. decades later, during years of gps, civilian surveying became 1 of first fields make use of new technology, because surveyors reap benefits of signals less-than-complete gps constellation years before declared operational. gps can thought of evolution of secor system ground-based transmitters have been migrated orbit.