Air Force tests ICBM in South Pacific

An unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile launched Sept. 15 from Vandenberg AFB on the  central California coast successfully reached targets 4,200 miles away in the South Pacific test range, the Air Force said.

The Minuteman III3 missile blasted off at 1:01 a.m. California time and reached Kwajalein Missile Range targets in the Marshall Islands about 30 minutes later, Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Danet said. The purpose was to test the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM system, she said.

The Air Force has about 500 nuclear warhead-tipped Minuteman III missiles in silos located in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming.

4,200 miles in 30 minutes?

That's 8,400 mph! HOLY SHIT!

and people here are worried about the un...

Dry run for North Korea

That is average speed.  It is going a lot slower during the initial boost phase but achieves a speed of about 17,500mph or Mach 23 during the ex-atmospheric duration of the flight.  Once released, the RVs slow way down as they reenter the atmosphere though...just before the canned sunshine is released.  

Quoted: Dry run for North Korea hr

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