This circuit, called a microelectronic hybrid, was part of the fuzing electronics for a Mark 12A reentry vehicle.
A Mark 12A reentry vehicle was the "business end" of a Minuteman III missile, the mainstay of the U.S. nuclear missile force from the 1970s into the 1990s, and carried a nuclear warhead. After launch, a Minuteman III flew on a trajectory that carried it into space. After passing the top of this trajectory, the Mark 12A reentry vehicle would separate from the missile and be directed towards its target. As the reentry vehicle sped earthward, a circuit like this artifact helped activate the warhead for detonation.
This circuit was made in the late 1970s but represents a design originally developed for the Mark 12A and Minuteman III programs in the late 1960s.
Lockheed Martin donated this artifact to the Museum in 1998.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
SPACECRAFT-Uncrewed-Instruments & Payloads
Manufacturer
General Electric Space Systems Division
Dimensions
Overall: 3/8in. x 1 5/16in. x 4 3/8in. (0.95 x 3.33 x 11.11cm)
Materials
Alumina, gold, aluminum, plastic, steel, copper, paint, ink, adhesive
Inventory Number
A19980314001
Credit Line
Gift of Lockheed Martin
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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