Decommissioned Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles Repurposed as Launchers
Katie Cordrey — July 3, 2010 — Tech
References: blogs.discovermagazine & news.discovery
Peacekeeper decommissioned intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are being used as launchers for science missions. Fifty-four repurposed missiles are scheduled for recycling. Nine Peacekeeper motors are currently under contract for testing or upcoming space launches.
The Air Force oversees the decommissioned intercontinental ballistic missiles-to-launchers program. While it can't be considered eco-friendly, it saves a lot of money and makes use of hardware that would be scrapped otherwise.
Implications - The very first refurbished Peacekeeper missile was named Minotaur 4 and was flown into space in April of 2010. The launch of the Space Based Space Surveillance satellite will let people see how Minotaur 4 is doing up in space. The featured images show these awesome missiles being ejected high up and out of this world.
The Air Force oversees the decommissioned intercontinental ballistic missiles-to-launchers program. While it can't be considered eco-friendly, it saves a lot of money and makes use of hardware that would be scrapped otherwise.
Implications - The very first refurbished Peacekeeper missile was named Minotaur 4 and was flown into space in April of 2010. The launch of the Space Based Space Surveillance satellite will let people see how Minotaur 4 is doing up in space. The featured images show these awesome missiles being ejected high up and out of this world.
Trend Themes
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Repurposed Rockets — The trend of using decommissioned rockets as launchers for science missions creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the space industry.
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Cost-saving Technology — Repurposing decommissioned rockets instead of scrapping them represents a cost-saving trend, with potential disruptive innovations in the aerospace industry.
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Sustainability in the Aerospace Industry — Using decommissioned rockets to launch science missions is a trend that could lead to innovations in sustainable practices in the aerospace industry.
Industry Implications
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Aerospace — The aerospace industry benefits from the trend of repurposing decommissioned rockets as launchers for science missions.
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Defense — The defense industry could benefit financially from the repurposing of decommissioned rockets instead of scrapping them.
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Environmental Technology — The trend of sustainable repurposing of decommissioned rockets for space missions creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the environmental technology industry.
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