Titan Missile Museum

12/9/09


Today we are taking an afternoon trip south of Tucson to the Titan Missile Museum. This is not the type of museum Diane would normally choose to go to, but I have a coupon from our Tucson Visitor book I purchased that allows one person to get in free with the purchase of one regular admission. The museum hi-lite is a guided tour of a real missile silo that was built back in the 60's. It has been kept just as it was back then with the exception that the Titan II missile has no live "guts or warhead in it". The concrete roof to the silo has been removed and a plexiglases window has taken it's place. We followed our guide down stairs from ground level about 100 ft down, going through thick concrete blast doors and check points, where entering crews would give top secret passwords to enter and relieve the crew on duty. We stood in the command room where orders to launch the missile would have come (but never did) we watched as our guide went through the launch scenario, pressing buttons and activating alarms right up to the inserting of keys to launch the missile. Then we went to see the missile itself. This is a hill that Diane found interesting. I think it is man-made, as there is a mining co. in this direction. It went for miles and miles. This is one of the propulsion engines that powered the Titan II missile we are here to see and learn about. Looking down through the plexiglases cover above the missile silo. The thick concrete blast door on right hand side of this picture, see Diane standing next to it. She didn't have to wear a hard-hat because she was so short. (Just the opposite of the amusement park rides where you have to be over a certain height to go on the ride. She did grab one and put it on and then took it off later once I told her she didn't need to wear it, hence flat hair look according to her).Control and launch room. By today's technology these computers are antiques. Our guide told us that there are no replacement parts available anymore. This lady was chosen to sit in the commander's seat where the order to launch would have been carried out. This is our tour guide going through the launch scenario. The actual lights on the commander's control panel still light up. Heading down the long tunnel passage way to see the actual missile. No doubt about it, this is a big one. This picture was taken from a window on an upper level, the majority of the missile is down below. This is the center section of the missile. You had to take the 5 hour tour to see all the different levels and all the hardware. If you really want the experience (who would?) of sleeping overnight in the crew's quarters (sleeping on old bunk bed's) and eating dinner and breakfast in their galley (which might be a little bigger, but not as nice as our galley) and getting to play with all the buttons and alarms in the command center you can do this for only $500.00 per person! I personally think the $10 I spend was plenty, but that's just my opinion.