The stars and stripes fly outside Launch Control Facility Delta-01

Launch Control Facility Delta-01

This building functioned as topside support for the underground launch control center. It acted as a multi purpose facility to help personnel perform their mission. 

Its primary purpose was to assist the missileers stationed underground in carrying out their mission. Mechanical implements such as a backup generator for auxiliary power and environmental control equipment provided backup support in the event of an emergency. The building contained a security control center where all security activities were coordinated from and personnel would be processed when coming on site.

The structure also included living quarters, a day room, dining area and recreational room that Air Force personnel used during three day duty shifts.

Underground Launch Control Center at Delta-01

Launch Control Center Delta-01

For every 10 Minuteman nuclear missiles there would be a launch control center that remotely commanded and controlled the missiles. Since there were 1000 Minuteman Missiles across the upper Great Plains from the mid-1960s up until the early 1990s, there would have been 100 launch control centers. The underground launch control center at Delta-01 was 31 feet beneath the ground of the Launch Control Facility.

Two missileers worked and lived on 24 hour alert duty shifts within the launch control center. They would spend most of their time monitoring the status of their 10 missiles. Among their other work duties were authenticating message traffic, remotely monitoring maintenance at the silos and assisting with the dispatch of security police if any alarms were tripped at the silos. 

When the missileers were not performing work duties they would pass time by reading, watching television or studying for master's degrees through a special Air Force educational program. There was also a bunk provided for one missileer to sleep while their crew partner kept an eye on the weapons system.

As one former missileer, David Blackhurst, once said, missileer duty was like "hours and hours of sheer boredom, punctuated by seconds of panic.

Missileers waited and waited over several decades for a launch command they hoped would never arrived. If the command to launch had arrived it would have come in the form of an Emergency War Order (EWO). Click here to learn more about an Emergency War Order.

Launch Facility Delta-09

Launch Facility Delta-09

The launch facility is also known as a missile silo. From November 1963 up until the early 1990s, Delta-09 held an operational Minuteman missile.

The actual silo itself, is a hardened concrete tube known as a missile launcher. The launcher was over 80 feet tall from top to bottom. The silo was covered by a 90 ton Launcher Closure Door, which in the event of a launch would be blown south of the site.

Other associated structures on the Launch Facility's topside include a soft support equipment building which includes an array of mechanical, electrical and environmental equipment. There is also a security system antenna and a hardened ultra high frequency antenna.

The launch facility is enclosed by an eight foot high fence. To the keen observer Delta-09 could be seen from Interstate 90. Today the Launch Facility has a glass viewing enclosure over the top of the silo so visitors can look down at the Minuteman II training missile on display.