Overview

• On July 20, the USAF’s 717th Test Squadron at Arnold AFB conducted a full-scale qualification test of the Sentinel ICBM’s second-stage solid rocket motor in a vacuum chamber.
• The high-altitude simulation generated critical data on the motor’s thrust profile, burn characteristics and thrust vector control capabilities.
• Completion of the stage-two test marks a key milestone in replacing the aging Minuteman III fleet and modernizing the U.S. land-based nuclear deterrent.
• Test results will drive final design refinements, inform production planning and precede further qualification trials under varied environmental conditions.
• Sentinel’s model-based digital engineering approach has streamlined validation of predictive performance models and reduced dependence on costly hardware prototypes.