1 | Access Portal Entrance
2 | Access Portal
3 | Blast Lock Area
4 | Control Center Level 1
5 | Launch Control Center
6 | Control Center Level 3
7 | Cableway
8 | Level 2 Launch Duct
9 | Level 7 Launch Duct
10 | All 8 Levels of the Missile Silo
1 | Access Portal Entrance
Visitors begin their descent underground via the Access Portal Entrance – the main entrance into the underground missile complex. The entrance consists of the outer stairwell (short flight of concrete steps), a stairwell cover (metal hatch usually kept in the open configuration) and the outer portal door.
You can see this area of the site on the following tours:
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2 | Access Portal
Approximately 35 feet (10 meters) deep, the Access Portal houses the majority of the stairs (55 steps in total) leading to the underground missile complex, a freight elevator and the entrapment area. When the site was operational, the entrapment area was used to confine personnel entering the complex until their entry authority was confirmed.
You can see this area of the site on the following tours:
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3 | Blast Lock Area
Connecting the outside world and the underground missile complex, the Blast Lock Area begins at the foot of the stairs in the Access Portal. Two sets of 3-ton steel blast doors and 3-foot (1 meter) thick concrete and steel walls protected the crew from nearby nuclear detonations, intruders and hazardous conditions in the missile silo.
You can see this area of the site on the following tours:
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4 | Control Center Level 1
The rest area for the missile crews was located on Control Center Level 1. The crew quarters contained a lavatory, bunk room and kitchen. The only place in the missile complex where crew members could be alone was in the crew quarters. Crew members ate and slept in shifts of varying lengths.
This area of the site cannot be seen on tour.
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5 | Launch Control Center
Using all of the equipment located in the Launch Control Center on Control Center Level 2, the crew could monitor the condition of the missile site and the missile — and launch the missile if ordered to do so. At least two crew members had to be present there at all times and one of them had to be an officer.
You can see this area of the site on the following tours:
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6 | Control Center Level 3
Level 3 is the lowest level of the control center. It housed communications gear, power distribution equipment, backup power supplies and emergency rations. The escape hatch leading to a ladder in the fresh air intake shaft was also located here. The crew could use this escape route to the surface if the Access Portal was impassable.
This area of the site cannot be seen on tour.
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7 | Cableway
Two steel tunnels — cableways — connected the control center with the missile silo and carried the communication cables between the launch control center and the missile. The short cableway connected the control center to the blast lock area and the long cableway connected the blast lock area to the missile silo. Together, the cableways are more than 200 feet (64 meters) long.
You can see this area of the site on the following tours:
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8 | Level 2 Launch Duct
This level of the launch duct is 35 feet underground and directly in line with the long cableway. Two sections of the work platforms have been lowered to provide a small floor for this level. Level 2 provides the closest access possible to the missile itself. Small groups of visitors can stand just inches away from the largest land-based missile ever deployed by the US.
This area of the site cannot be seen on tour.
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9 | Level 7 Launch Duct
This level of the launch duct is directly underneath the thrust mount that supports the missile in the launch duct. The thrust mount provided shock isolation and a stable launching platform for the missile.
This area of the site cannot be seen on tour.
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10 | All 8 Levels of the Missile Silo
The missile silo surrounds the launch duct. It houses all the equipment necessary to keep the site operational and to launch the missile. The silo equipment area has 8 levels and a sump. All areas of the silo are accessible via a ladder, and all but level 1 and the sump are accessible via the silo elevator. Daily crew inspections of the silo equipment took 3 to 4 hours.
This area of the site cannot be seen on tour.
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