Nike Zeus Credit - © Mark Wade

Anti-ballistic missile. IOC: 1966. Country: USA. Status: Retired 1966. Department of Defence Designation: XLIM-49A. Popular Name: Nike-Zeus.

First anti-ballistic missile tested by US. Protoypes were deployed operationally from the mid-Pacific test base as nuclear-tipped ASAT missiles. Cancelled 1966

Historical Essay © Andreas Parsch

Western Electric/McDonnell-Douglas LIM-49 Nike Zeus/Spartan

In 1955 the U.S. Army began to study the possibility to develop a derivative of the MIM-14 Nike Hercules as an interceptor against hypersonic aircraft and ballistic missiles. This project was originally called Nike II, but renamed Nike Zeus on 15 November 1956. It is highly probable that Nike II was briefly known as either SAM-A-24 or SAM-A-26, but I can't confirm any of these designators. Because of a December 1956 DOD directive, which restricted the range of Army guided missiles to 320 km (200 miles), the Nike Zeus could not be designed as an exo-atmospheric intercept missile. Therefore, Western Electric started to develop an enhanced version of Nike Hercules, designed to intercept ballistic warheads within the earth's atmosphere. This project was named Nike Zeus A.

The Nike Zeus A missile was a relatively straight-forward development of the MIM-14 Nike Hercules. It was to use essentially the same command-guidance ground equipment as the Nike Hercules, and would be armed with a 20 kT nuclear warhead. The first successful flight of a full two-stage missile occurred in March 1960. However, in 1957 the Army missile range limitation had been rescinded (after the Sputnik launch), and the main development effort had already turned towards an exo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile interceptor, called Nike Zeus B.

Several sources, including [1] and [2] listed below, say that the Nike Zeus A was designated as XLIM-49A in 1963, even if development had long been halted then. However, source [3] seems to indicate that XLIM-49A was actually allocated to the later Nike Zeus B (which see below). For a discussion of the confusing designations of the Nike Zeus family of missiles, see the last paragraphs at the end of this article.

The Nike Zeus B was a completely new missile, which shared only the guidance method and first stage booster with the Nike Zeus A. Because it was designed to intercept its targets in space, it did not need large manoeuvering fins. Instead the missile featured a special third stage with small control jets to manoeuver in space. The first three-stage flight of a Nike Zeus B occurred in September 1961. In July 1962, a Nike Zeus B succeeded in intercepting an Atlas ICBM nose cone. By the end of 1963, more than a dozen reentry vehicles had been successfully intercepted. Source [1] says that the designation XLIM-49B was allocated to the Nike Zeus B in 1963. However, as said above, it is also very possible (even likely!) that Nike Zeus B was actually the XLIM-49A.

In May 1963, a modified Nike Zeus B missile intercepted an orbiting satellite. From June 1963 until May 1966, a Nike Zeus B with a live nuclear warhead was always on alert at the Kwajalein launch complex for possible interception of Soviet satellites.

Because the Nike Zeus B system was planned to use mechanical radars, it was deemed too slow to be effective. It could also handle only few different targets at a time, and was inefficient at filtering out decoys. Therefore, the whole system was redesigned to use electronically scanned phased-array radars. Additionally, it was decided to complement the Nike Zeus B with an endo-atmospheric interceptor to defend against submarine-launched ballistic missiles (which followed a far shallower trajectory than ICBMs). This new system was named Nike-X.

The exo-atmospheric missile of the Nike-X system was to be a longer-range development of Nike Zeus B, called Extended Range Nike Zeus or Nike Zeus EX. In 1965, Western Electric received the prime contract for this missile. However, on 18 September 1967, the Nike-X was cancelled and replaced by a system called Sentinel, which was to be a much thinner (and therefore cheaper!) ABM defense shield. At the same time, Nike Zeus EX was renamed Spartan, and the prime contract was now shared between Western Electric and McDonnell-Douglas.

Manufacturer: Western Electric. Launches: 99. Failures: 15. Success Rate: 84.85%. First Launch Date: 1959-08-26. Last Launch Date: 1966-05-06. Launch data is: complete. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Associated Spacecraft: Program 505. Liftoff Thrust: 2,000.000 kN (449,600 lbf). Total Mass: 9,070 kg (19,990 lb). Core Diameter: 1.52 m (4.98 ft). Total Length: 14.33 m (47.01 ft). Maximum range: 320 km (190 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead: W71. Standard warhead yield: 5,000 KT. Boost Propulsion: Solid rocket. Cruise Propulsion: Solid rocket. Guidance: Command Link. Development Cost $: 1,398.000 million. in: 1965 average dollars. Recurring Price $: 7.281 million. Total Production Built: 192. Cost comments: Launch price = Program unit price, development divided by 192 missiles built.

• Stage1: 1 x Nike Zeus-1. Gross Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Motor: 1 x TX-135. Thrust (vac): 2,000.000 kN (449,600 lbf). Burn time: 4.50 sec. Length: 5.00 m (16.40 ft). Diameter: 0.91 m (2.98 ft). Propellants: Solid.

• Stage2: 1 x Nike Zeus-2. Gross Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Motor: 1 x TX-238. Length: 4.50 m (14.70 ft). Diameter: 0.86 m (2.82 ft). Propellants: Solid.

• Stage1: 1 x Nike Zeus-1. Gross Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Motor: 1 x TX-135. Thrust (vac): 2,000.000 kN (449,600 lbf). Burn time: 4.50 sec. Length: 5.00 m (16.40 ft). Diameter: 0.91 m (2.98 ft). Propellants: Solid.

• Stage2: 1 x Nike Zeus A-2. Motor: 1 x Zeus A. Length: 7.00 m (22.90 ft). Diameter: 0.50 m (1.64 ft). Propellants: Solid.

• Stage1: 1 x Nike Zeus-1. Gross Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Motor: 1 x TX-135. Thrust (vac): 2,000.000 kN (449,600 lbf). Burn time: 4.50 sec. Length: 5.00 m (16.40 ft). Diameter: 0.91 m (2.98 ft). Propellants: Solid.

• Stage2: 1 x Nike Zeus-2. Gross Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Motor: 1 x TX-238. Length: 4.50 m (14.70 ft). Diameter: 0.86 m (2.82 ft). Propellants: Solid.

• Stage3: 1 x Nike Zeus 3-3. Motor: 1 x TX-239. Length: 2.60 m (8.50 ft). Diameter: 0.81 m (2.65 ft). Propellants: Solid.

1959 August 26 - 17:35 GMT - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus A 101 1 FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 0 km ( mi).

1959 October 14 - 16:30 GMT - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus A 2 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi).

1959 December 16 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus A 3 FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).

1960 February 3 - White Sands LC94. Nike Zeus A 105 4 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi).

1960 March 9 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus A 5 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi).

1960 April 28 - 14:50 GMT - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus 6 First Silo launch Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1960 May 25 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus A 7 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi).

1960 June 22 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus 8 FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 0 km ( mi).

1960 August 10 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus 9 First Tactical launch Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1960 October 1 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1960 December 1 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1960 December 1 - White Sands LC38. Guidance test Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 Q1 - White Sands LC38. Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 May 25 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 June 23 - 23:40 GMT - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 Q3 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 Q3 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 July 26 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 August 31 - White Sands LC38. New mainstage test Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 September 9 - 20:02 GMT - Point Mugu -. FAILURE: Failure. PM-1 test Agency: USA. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi).

1961 September 15 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 40 km (24 mi).

1961 October 7 - 20:03 GMT - Point Mugu -. FAILURE: Failure. PM-2 test Agency: USA. Apogee: 3.00 km (1.80 mi).

1961 November 15 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 November 15 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 November 16 - 20:37 GMT - Point Mugu -. PM-3 Dummy St 3 Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 November 21 - 19:00 GMT - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 PM-4 Dummy St 3 Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 November 30 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 First suc 3-stage Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 December 14 - 20:00 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 ? KMR-1 Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 December 14 - 20:26 GMT - Point Mugu -. PM-5 test Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1961 December 14 - 21:00 GMT - White Sands LC38. Hercules intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 40 km (24 mi).

1962 - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 PM-6 test Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 January 18 - White Sands -. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 January 25 - 22:02 GMT - Point Mugu -. PM-7 Sim target Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 February 1 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 3 stage control test Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 February 7 - White Sands LC38. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 February 12 - Point Mugu -. FAILURE: Failure. PM-8 Dummy St 3? Agency: USA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).

1962 March 5 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 KMR-2 Sim target Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 March 9 - 00:16 GMT - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 FAILURE: Failure. PM-9 test Agency: USA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).

1962 March 13 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Simulated target Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 March 13 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Simulated target Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 March 28 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Hercules intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 40 km (24 mi).

1962 April 5 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Simulated target Agency: USA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1962 April 12 - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 PM-10? 3-stage test Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 April 19 - Point Mugu -. FAILURE: Failure. PM-11? Sim target Agency: USA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).

1962 April 27 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 April 30 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Simulated target Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 May 9 - 22:08 GMT - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 FAILURE: Failure. PM-12 test Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi).

1962 May 26 - 18:04 GMT - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 PM-13 Altitude test Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 June 26 - 11:30 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 FAILURE: Failure. First launch of an Army Nike-Zeus from Kwajalein Agency: USA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First launch of an Army Nike-Zeus from Kwajalein against an Atlas from Vandenberg AFB.

1962 July 16 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Requal test Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 July 19 - 11:35 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-2 Atlas Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 August 25 - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 FAILURE: Failure. PM-14 test Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1962 August 28 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 September 27 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Simulated target Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 October 24 - 19:00 GMT - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 FAILURE: Failure. PM-15 test Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi).

1962 November 8 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 November 9 - 03:12 GMT - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 PM-16? sim target Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 November 28 - 23:25 GMT - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 PM-17? St3 guidance Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 November 29 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Simulated target Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 December 12 - 12:10 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-6 Atlas Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 December 12 - 12:10 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 FAILURE: Failure. K-6 Salvo Agency: USA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).

1962 December 17 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 DM-15S Test 1 Agency: USA. Apogee: 180 km (110 mi).

1962 December 19 - 21:51 GMT - Point Mugu -. Nike Zeus-3 PM-19/Eniwetok Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 December 22 - 10:00 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-7 Atlas Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1962 December 22 - 10:00 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 FAILURE: Failure. K-7 Salvo Agency: USA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).

1963 February 13 - 12:30 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-8 Atlas Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 February 16 - 00:30 GMT - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 DM-15S Test 2 Agency: USA. Apogee: 240 km (140 mi).

1963 February 20 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 February 28 - 09:30 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-10 Atlas Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 March 21 - Kwajalein LC38. Nike Zeus-3 DM-15S Test 3 Agency: USA. Apogee: 207 km (128 mi).

1963 March 30 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-17 Titan Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 April 13 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-21 Titan Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 April 18 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 April 24 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 May 10 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 20 km (12 mi).

1963 May 23 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 20138 ZK-20 DM-15S Agena Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 June 5 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 June 12 - 09:30 GMT - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-15 Atlas Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 July 1 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 July 3 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 July 3 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-23 Atlas Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 July 12 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 July 26 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Nike X R&D test Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 August 8 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 August 15 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 K-26 Titan Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 August 24 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-28 Atlas Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 October 23 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 November 1 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 November 14 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 K-24 Titan Intercept Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 December 11 - White Sands LC38. Nike Zeus-3 Nike X R&D, last WS test Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1964 January 6 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 Interceptor mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1965 March 1 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 Simulated target Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1965 March 1 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 Simulated target Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1965 June 1 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 Interceptor mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1965 June 1 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 Interceptor mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1965 July 1 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 Interceptor mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1965 July 8 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 DM-15S Qual-2 Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1966 January 13 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 Interceptor mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1966 May 6 - Kwajalein -. Nike Zeus-3 2K-61 Interceptor mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).