Effectiveness of the Minuteman II Stage III Refurbishment Program
Abstract
Testing revealed an increasing failure rate in the Minuteman I Stage III thrust termination system. Because of the similarity between the Minuteman I and Minuteman II Stage III, the Minuteman I tests raised the possibility that the Minuteman II Stage III thrust termination system may be degrading as a function of age. Concern over the reliability of this system prompted two programs: one to refurbish the thrust termination ports in both Minuteman I and II, and another to ultimately replace the entire stage should the refurbishment be ineffective. The apparent success of the refurbishment program has raised the question of whether or not the Minuteman II requires a new stage. In addressing this question, this paper first provides a brief history of the thrust termination problem, describing its severity and the effectiveness of the refurbishment program. Following the background on the thrust termination ports is a description and statistical analysis of the available data. This statistical analysis, in conjunction with a sensitivity analysis of the required assumptions, leads to the conclusion that the data do not support replacing the stage based on thrust termination considerations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA363899