US Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM)

[Alice1Springs]

stay sharp

[AbsoluteMonarchist]

@Alice1Springs Must I?  I'm an alcoholic.

[qtrtilldawn]

'fjbutch' is correct, a small 'rocket motor' super heats water which makes instant steam pressure, then pushes the missile out of the tube like a giant pea shooter.

The missile has to travel 150 feet at a certain acceleration before the actual rocket motors kick on.

steves question, although it has three stages think of it this way, throw a baseball in an arch, it is only powered while in your hand, momentum does the rest. The payload has small rockets to adjust for the individual warheads.

[sleicht5]

What an amazing, beautiful...terrible thing.

[stevesg92]

I just can't understand how that missile has enough fuel? to shoot out of the sky and fly for thousands of miles.. can someone explain that to me?

[MrGeranio1997]

@stevesg92 in the space the slbm has no weight, because there isn't gravity

[xXBluegrassCountryXx]

@MrGeranio1997 its not in space, its in a submarine

[fjbutch]

Is the missile initially Launched out of the sub by steam pressure ?

[Hamodyxxx0]

@fjbutch nope its by gas pressure

[fjbutch]

@Hamodyxxx0  Thanks mate ...cheers ...

[Hamodyxxx0]

@fjbutch You're welcome mate ...cheeers ...

[BusterBunker]

Well, the UGM-73 Poseidon was launched by steam using a solid boiler. Also, I think some Royal Navy Submarines use steam pressure to launch their Trident II Missiles.

[fjbutch]

@BusterBunker Thanks,,,and I guess with Nuclear heat, they could heat the water into steam pretty quick I'd say....

[Marekesh1]

@fjbutch It's gas in the form of steam. No joke. A small rocket motor when ignited is used to turn a small reservoir of water in to steam to propel the missile out of tube and through 50+ ft of water.

[fjbutch]

@Marekesh1 Cheers for that,,all fascinating stuff, especially when this day and age, steam is still an important part of propulsion...