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The launch sequence
took approximately 15 minutes. After receiving a launch order, the
crew filled the missile's tanks with 200,000 pounds of liquid oxygen
and RP-1. After the missile was fueled, it rode to the surface on the
silo elevator and then was fired. The flight began with the ignition
of the large first-stage engine that burned for 134 seconds and
propelled the missile to an altitude of 35 miles. As the first stage
expired and fell away, the second stage fired; it burned for another
156 seconds, boosting the missile to an altitude of150 miles and a
velocity of 22,554 feet per second. After the second stage fen silent,
two small vernier engines fired for an additional 50 seconds making final
course corrections to the trajectory, After the vernier engines burned
out, the reent6 vehicle carrying the war-head followed a ballistic
trajectory, and at the apogee of its flight soared to an altitude of 541
miles above the earth's surface. Time elapsed for a 5,500 mile flight: 33
minutes. |
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