Where the Cape Began

Cape Kennedy to Ascension: The Air Force Missile Test Range

The Cold War era brought new missile capabilities, and with them the vast testing ranges that stretched from Cape Canaveral to Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Started in 1947, this range was crucial for testing missile systems, tracking their performance, and ensuring they met standards for accuracy, reliability, range, safety, and performance.

Why Cape Canaveral to Ascension?

• Safety considerations
• Unobstructed testing environment
• Tracking and data collection
• Logistical support

Navaho Missile: The Supersonic Pioneer

An early cruise missile developed by North American Aviation, designed as a long-range, supersonic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. Although it never reached operational status, the Navaho program contributed significantly to the development of high-speed aerodynamics and rocket propulsion technologies.

• It featured one of the earliest inertial guidance systems, providing autonomous navigation without the need for external signals
• That same technology was used in the design of the Redstone and Thor rockets

Martin Mace: The Tactical Missile

A tactical cruise missile developed by the Glenn L. Martin Company. An improvement over the earlier Matador missile, it offered greater range and accuracy, and could be launched from both ground-based and mobile platforms.

• The ground-launched version, Mace "A," had a range of about 650 miles, while the air-launched Mace "B" could reach up to 1,400 miles
• It featured a terrain contour matching (TERCOM) guidance system, which significantly improved its accuracy

Hound Dog: The Air-Launched Stand-Off Missile

The AGM-28 Hound Dog was an air-launched, long-range, supersonic cruise missile developed by North American Aviation. Carried by the B-52 Stratofortress, it was designed to penetrate enemy defenses and deliver a nuclear payload, using a turbojet engine that allowed it to travel at high speeds.

• The Hound Dog carried a W28 nuclear warhead, making it a powerful component of the U.S. strategic bomber fleet during the Cold War
• With a range of over 500 miles, it allowed B-52 bombers to launch attacks from a considerable distance, keeping the aircraft out of range of enemy defenses

SM-62 Snark: The Strategic Cruise Missile

A long-range, subsonic cruise missile developed by Northrop Corporation for strategic bombardment at intercontinental range. It was equipped with a nuclear warhead and guided by inertial navigation.

• The SM-62 Snark was the first intercontinental cruise missile developed by the United States, preceding the deployment of more advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) like the Atlas and Titan
• The Snark had a range of 5,500 miles, making it capable of reaching targets across continents

CIM-10 BOMARC: The Interceptor Missile

A surface-to-air missile developed by Boeing and the Michigan Aeronautical Research Center (MARC), designed to intercept and destroy enemy bombers. The BOMARC featured a ramjet engine that enabled it to reach supersonic speeds.

• The BOMARC was the first anti-aircraft, long-range, surface-to-air missile (SAM) in the world
• The missile could be equipped with either a conventional or nuclear warhead, which allowed defensive flexibility

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