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Missiles
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Published: September 21, 2006
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand missiles&n dash;you can just read up on them.
Missiles and rockets have been in existence for centuries. They were invented, tested, redesigned, and perfected by the finest scientific minds in history. However, to understand the basics of rockets and missiles, there must be a clear distinction between the two.
Rockets and missiles are generally the same, except for how they are used. A rocket that is used as a weapon is a missile. However, it is still classified as a rocket if it is used as a vehicle for space travel. This is exemplified by NASA's Space Shuttle as well as spaceships from Russia, and planned space ships currently being built in Europe and Japan.
It all started around 400 B.C. when a Greek man named Archytas flew a wooden pigeon. The bird was attached to wires and steam was used to propel it. Three hundred years later, Hero, another Greek man from Alexandria, invented the aeolipile, another steam propelled device. In the first century A.D, Chinese Fire-Arrows were tubes filled with gunpowder used as a weapon to repel the opposing army.
Century after century brought new innovations to rocket design. These improvements culminated on March 16, 1926 when Dr. Robert Goddard switched from solid to liquid based fuels and launched the first liquid propelled rocket. Fueled by liquid oxygen and gasoline, it flew less than 3 seconds, climbed twelve and a half meters high, and landed 56 meters away.
In 1957, the former Soviet Union launched the Sputnik I satellite aboard one of their rockets. This was followed in 1958 by the U.S.'s Explorer I satellite launched on one of our rockets. Towards the end of 1958, NASA was created and space exploration began.
Missiles are rockets used as defense weapons. There are various types which are separated by their flight range. Battlefield Short Range Ballistic Missiles travel 100 miles or less.
Short Range Ballistic Missiles travel from 100 to 500 miles. The Iraqi, Russian and North Koean "Hwasong" SCUD missile are examples of SRBMs. Medium Range Ballistic Missiles travel from 500 to 1500 miles. Examples include the American Tomahawk Cruise Missile, which has a range of 1000 miles.
Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles have a range of 1500 to 3400 miles and are frequently used to launch small satellites into orbit. Some of the early missiles that launched satellites were the Thor, Redstone, and Jupiter missiles. Finally there is the more widely known weapon, the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) and the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). The ICBM can fly as far as 9200 miles away. Having two or more rocket stages means that it can fly as high as 700 miles before striking its target. American examples of an ICBM include Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, and Peacekeeper. The Titan and Minuteman were recently converted into rockets for space flight. The SLBMs are launched from submarines and are armed with nuclear warheads.
In the world of missile warfare, there are many varieties of rockets to be used as defense weapons. Their uses are based on where the weapon will be launched and where the target is located: the air, the ground, on a ship, or on a submarine. Air-to-air include the Stinger, Sparrow, and Sidewinder. The Bullpup, Maverick, Sidearm, and Skipper are examples of air-to-ground while the Harpoon and Penguin are missiles launched air-to-ship. The most recognized are the Tomahawk and the Patriot missiles. The Patriot , which was used in the 1990s Gulf War, is a ground-to-air missile. The Tomahawk on the other hand can be launched by ship or by submarine and is launched towards ground targets.
Webmaster. "U.S. Missiles.& quot; Federation of American Scientists. fas.org. September 20, 2006.
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/in dex.html
"Rocket History." AllStar Network. March 12, 2004. Copyright 2006. Florida International University: fiu.edu. September 20, 2006. http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/Rock_Hist1.html
Q 'n A: Answers To Your Questions. "What's the difference between a missile and a rocket?" Copyright 2004. Space Today Online. September 20, 2006. http://www.spacetoday.org/Questions/MissilesVs Rockets.html
Parsch, Andreas. "Main Missile Index." Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Last updated January 12, 2006. Copyright 2006. Designation-Systems.Net. September 20, 2006. http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/index.htm l
Powers, Rod. "U.S. Military Weapons of War. Part two: Non-Nuclear Bombs and Missiles.& quot; Copyright 2006 About, Inc. September 20, 2006. New York Times Company. September 20, 2006. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/weapons/l/aabombs1. htm
Missiles and rockets have been in existence for centuries. They were invented, tested, redesigned, and perfected by the finest scientific minds in history. However, to understand the basics of rockets and missiles, there must be a clear distinction between the two.
Rockets and missiles are generally the same, except for how they are used. A rocket that is used as a weapon is a missile. However, it is still classified as a rocket if it is used as a vehicle for space travel. This is exemplified by NASA's Space Shuttle as well as spaceships from Russia, and planned space ships currently being built in Europe and Japan.
It all started around 400 B.C. when a Greek man named Archytas flew a wooden pigeon. The bird was attached to wires and steam was used to propel it. Three hundred years later, Hero, another Greek man from Alexandria, invented the aeolipile, another steam propelled device. In the first century A.D, Chinese Fire-Arrows were tubes filled with gunpowder used as a weapon to repel the opposing army.
Century after century brought new innovations to rocket design. These improvements culminated on March 16, 1926 when Dr. Robert Goddard switched from solid to liquid based fuels and launched the first liquid propelled rocket. Fueled by liquid oxygen and gasoline, it flew less than 3 seconds, climbed twelve and a half meters high, and landed 56 meters away.
In 1957, the former Soviet Union launched the Sputnik I satellite aboard one of their rockets. This was followed in 1958 by the U.S.'s Explorer I satellite launched on one of our rockets. Towards the end of 1958, NASA was created and space exploration began.
Missiles are rockets used as defense weapons. There are various types which are separated by their flight range. Battlefield Short Range Ballistic Missiles travel 100 miles or less.
Short Range Ballistic Missiles travel from 100 to 500 miles. The Iraqi, Russian and North Koean "Hwasong" SCUD missile are examples of SRBMs. Medium Range Ballistic Missiles travel from 500 to 1500 miles. Examples include the American Tomahawk Cruise Missile, which has a range of 1000 miles.
Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles have a range of 1500 to 3400 miles and are frequently used to launch small satellites into orbit. Some of the early missiles that launched satellites were the Thor, Redstone, and Jupiter missiles. Finally there is the more widely known weapon, the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) and the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). The ICBM can fly as far as 9200 miles away. Having two or more rocket stages means that it can fly as high as 700 miles before striking its target. American examples of an ICBM include Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, and Peacekeeper. The Titan and Minuteman were recently converted into rockets for space flight. The SLBMs are launched from submarines and are armed with nuclear warheads.
In the world of missile warfare, there are many varieties of rockets to be used as defense weapons. Their uses are based on where the weapon will be launched and where the target is located: the air, the ground, on a ship, or on a submarine. Air-to-air include the Stinger, Sparrow, and Sidewinder. The Bullpup, Maverick, Sidearm, and Skipper are examples of air-to-ground while the Harpoon and Penguin are missiles launched air-to-ship. The most recognized are the Tomahawk and the Patriot missiles. The Patriot , which was used in the 1990s Gulf War, is a ground-to-air missile. The Tomahawk on the other hand can be launched by ship or by submarine and is launched towards ground targets.
Webmaster. "U.S. Missiles.& quot; Federation of American Scientists. fas.org. September 20, 2006.
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/in dex.html
"Rocket History." AllStar Network. March 12, 2004. Copyright 2006. Florida International University: fiu.edu. September 20, 2006. http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/Rock_Hist1.html
Q 'n A: Answers To Your Questions. "What's the difference between a missile and a rocket?" Copyright 2004. Space Today Online. September 20, 2006. http://www.spacetoday.org/Questions/MissilesVs Rockets.html
Parsch, Andreas. "Main Missile Index." Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Last updated January 12, 2006. Copyright 2006. Designation-Systems.Net. September 20, 2006. http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/index.htm l
Powers, Rod. "U.S. Military Weapons of War. Part two: Non-Nuclear Bombs and Missiles.& quot; Copyright 2006 About, Inc. September 20, 2006. New York Times Company. September 20, 2006. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/weapons/l/aabombs1. htm
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