Comments on: Ballistic Missile Guidance on your Cell Phone?

By: Private Mason

Private Mason — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:45:17 +0000

The next step of course is when countries like Iran no longer need to source strategic technology such as gyroscopes for their missle program because all they need to do is design an app for the Iphone 7 and plug it in – MEMS the word.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:58:20 +0000

Very interesting article. Most people don’t realize that much of our “civilian” technology was first used as “government” technology but this is a great article showing a clear case of how technology is developed.

By: Colonel Smith

Colonel Smith — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 04:07:22 +0000

Keir Stahlsmith would put a smart phone on a missile and have it call you before it strikes. That’s the innovation of Sergeant Stahlsmith in the modern aerial war! Of course, he’ll cut your head off if you steal his idea.

By: Wednesday Roundup: Archives Month, Accelerometers, Roller Skates and Great Debates | Around The Mall

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:59:49 +0000

[...] vertically or horizontally depending on how you hold it? According to a post this week on the AirSpace blog, that mechanism is called an accelerometer, and consists of a tiny chip inserted into the phone [...]

By: Andrei S

Andrei S — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 12:10:28 +0000

One should also note that, by virtue of its mission, a strategic ballistic missile must be totally self-sufficient, thus GPS navigation aiding is NOT an option for this application.

By: Gene Nelson, Ph.D.

Gene Nelson, Ph.D. — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 04:03:16 +0000

The smartphone also has an incredible amount of computing power. I have heard comparisons with all of NORAD’s computing power in 1965. Peter Singer’s 2009 book “Wired for War” suggests that even simpler systems had that computing power. See the page 99 excerpt at http://oxylife.blogspot.com/2009/01/pw-singers-wired-for-war.html –

Peter Singer’s book details some of the transformations that visitors to NASM’s NMB will see in Gallery 104, dedicated to UAVs. (Dr. Nelson is a NASM NMB Docent.)

By: Paul Ceruzzi

Paul Ceruzzi — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:53:23 +0000

You are correct–perhaps I was deliberately being provocative. However, when you combine these devices with on-board GPS receivers, you get position data that is comparable to the best mechanical inertial systems. GPS is also expensive, but users of civilian GPS-enabled smart devices perceive it as being “free.”

By: Ron F

Ron F — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 17:52:09 +0000

To be fair, MEMS accelerometers and gyros are significantly less accurate and more noisy than current mechanical, navigation grade devices. Certainly this doesn’t invalidate the basic thrust of the article, but it might make a bit clearer where we are in the process of substitution.