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SPRINT Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM): The missile was sealed in a climate controlled silo prior to launch. The silo cover was explosively fragmented with shaped charge explosives in the instant prior to launch. The missile was ejected from the silo with a gas generator driven piston before the first stage was ignited. One second after first stage ignition, the missile's nose was red hot from aerodynamic friction. The first stage disintegrated from aerodynamic forces as soon as it was explosively separated from the second stage. The second stage was entirely covered by an ablative heat shield that due to aerodynamic friction became hotter than the interior of its rocket motor and glowed incandescently in daylight. Specifications: Height: 27 ft Max diameter: 4.5 ft Weight: 7,600 lb First stage: 650,000 lb thrust for 1.8 sec. Second stage: 150,000 lb thrust for 2 sec. Acceleration: 1st stage - 130 G, 2nd stage - 90 G, Maneuvers - 60 G Max velocity: 10,200 ft/s Warhead: W66 thermonuclear warhead (a low kiloton range neutron bomb)
