Jupiter

Jupiter. Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile. , Designed by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA), the Jupiter missile was initially designated SM-78. Even though research and development of the Jupiter was performed by the ABMA, the Army was never able to deploy the missile. In 1955, the Department of Defense directed the Army to work with the Navy to develop a version of the Jupiter that could be used at sea. In late 1956 however, the Army lost control of all missiles with a ranger greater than 200 miles to the Air Force. The Navy later abandoned the Jupiter in favor of the safer and more practical solid-fueled, submarine-based Polaris missile. The Jupiter was transferred to the Air Force and eventually became the first operational Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM). In 1961 the Air Force deployed Jupiter IRBM squadrons in Italy. These missiles were operated by Italian Air Force crews, but U.S. Air Force personnel would have controlled arming them with nuclear warheads has that become necessary. Additional squadrons were also deployed at several locations in Turkey and operated by the Turkish Air Force. All of the Jupiter missiles were removed from service in 1963. Though designated as a weapon system, Jupiter missiles were also used as instruments of science. Modifications of the Jupiter produced the Juno II space launch vehicle., (captions) , Many “firsts” were accomplished during the development phase of the Jupiter: the free world’s first Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) to be successfully launched, launch and recovery of the first full-scale heat-protected IRBM nosecone, and on 13 December 1958, a Jupiter carried a lice squirrel monkey names “Gordo” into space. The above photo, dated 6 May 1959, shows a Jupiter on Pad-B at Complex 26. A Jupiter is on display here at the Air Force Space and Missile Museum; look toward the east in the museum’s outdoor Rocket Garden., The Jupiter as built by the Chrysler Corporations at its plant in Warren, Michigan. Fueled by a Rocketdyne engine burning a mixture of liquid oxygen and RP-1 (kerosene), the missile produced 150,000 pounds of thrust at liftoff. The photo above, dated 3 April 1959, shows liquid oxygen venting from a Jupiter on Pad-B at Complex 26., Specifications: , Prime Contractor: Chrysler Corporation , Length: 60 feet , Diameter: 8 feet 9 inches , Range: 1,500 miles , Launch Weight: 110,000 pounds , Thrust: 150,000 , Guidance: Inertial, ballistic, Notice anything in the above photo? Look closely at the base of the rocket – no fins! Unlike the Redstone rocket which had fins for stability in flight, the Jupiter had the ability to gimbal its first stage engine to achieve the same effect. The Jupiter was s constant-diameter cylinder with a skin of heavy-gauge, welded aluminum and a conical nosecone to hold its payload., This Jupiter was launched on 18 April 1962 from Pad-A at Complex 26 by a Turkish Air Force crew as part of their training with the weapon system. Jupiter missile squadrons were stationed in Turkey from 1961-1963 as part of NATO defense measures. The Jupiter was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, but no such devices were ever used in the training exercises conducted at the Cape., Thirty-four Jupiter missiles were launched from Cape Canaveral between 1957-1963, including 25 form Complex 26. Additional launches occurred from Complex 5 and Complex 6. Not every launch was completely successful. As evident in the two photos shown here from 16 September 1959. Large pieces of this wayward Jupiter impacted near its launch pad.