Ballistic missile
One modern pioneer ballistic missile was the A-4,[1] commonly known as the V-2 developed by Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s under the direction of Wernher von Braun.
The first successful launch of a V-2 was on October 3, 1942, and it began operation on September 6, 1944, against Paris, followed by an attack on London two days later.
[12] On multi-stage missiles, stage separation (excluding any post-boost vehicles or MIRV bus) occurs primarily during the boost phase.
During this phase the missile, now largely consisting of a warhead or payload and possibly defensive countermeasures and small propulsion systems for further alignment toward its target, will reach its highest altitude and may travel in space for thousands of kilometres (or even indefinitely, in the case of some fractional-orbital capable systems) at speeds of up to 7.5 to 10 kilometres per second (4 to 5 nautical miles per second).
[13] Re-entry vehicles re-enter the Earth's atmosphere at very high velocities, on the order of 6–8 kilometers per second (22,000–29,000 km/h; 13,000–18,000 mph) at ICBM ranges.
A quasi-ballistic missile is a category of SRBM that is largely ballistic but can perform maneuvers in flight or make unexpected changes in direction and range.
Throw-weight was used as a criterion in classifying different types of missiles during Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the Soviet Union and the United States.
[25] The term became politically controversial during debates over the arms control accord, as critics of the treaty alleged that Soviet missiles were able to carry larger payloads and so enabled the Soviets to maintain higher throw-weight than an American force with a roughly comparable number of lower-payload missiles.
[26] The missiles with the world's heaviest payloads are the Russian SS-18 and Chinese CSS-4 and as of 2017[update], Russia was developing a new heavy-lift, liquid-propellant ICBM called the Sarmat.
[27] By reducing the payload weight, different trajectories can be selected, which can either increase the nominal range or decrease the total time in flight.
- 1. The missile launches out of its silo by firing its first-stage boost motor ( A ).
- 2. About 60 seconds after launch, the first-stage drops off and the second-stage motor ( B ) ignites. The missile shroud ( E ) is ejected.
- 3. About 120 seconds after launch, the third-stage motor ( C ) ignites and separates from the second stage.
- 4. About 180 seconds after launch, third-stage thrust terminates and the post-boost vehicle ( D ) separates from the rocket.
- 5. The post-boost vehicle maneuvers itself and prepares for re-entry vehicle (RV) deployment.
- 6. The RVs, as well as decoys and chaff, are deployed.
- 7. The RVs (now armed) and chaff re-enter the atmosphere at high speeds.
- 8. The nuclear warheads detonate.
