Cheap missile silos for sale: Silos and Bunkers For Sale

Missile silo for sale in Kansas puzzles Zillow Gone Wild

Interior

Screengrab from Zillow

A property for sale in Abilene, Kansas, has piqued the interest of a popular social media page thanks to its likeness to something straight out of a post-apocalyptic movie starring Tom Hanks.

Exterior Screengrab from Zillow

An underground missile silo complex, designed to hold up during a nuclear strike, sitting on 11 acres has hit the real estate market for $380,000, according to Zillow.com. The 6,900-square-foot silo has electricity, water and “a forced sewage system to the ground surface,” so the new owner will be almost all set to possibly survive the end of the world — or a global pandemic.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“The main missile silo is located at a depth of 170 feet,” the listing says. “Also on the property is a 4,000 square foot Quonset building with water, sewer and electricity and a one room building for office or storage. This facility has lots of potential in whatever way you choose to go.”

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

The listing nabbed the attention of Zillow Gone Wild, whose fans were both perplexed and amused by the photos of the silo and decided to bring all the jokes.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“Cool, I always wanted to live in a place that made me feel like I was having an MRI all the time,” one person said.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“Pretty sure I already own this in ‘Grand Theft Auto,’” another joked.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“If that’s what surviving a nuclear apocalypse looks like, kill me now,” one person commented.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“For all your serial killer lair needs,” another said.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“Worth buying it for an ‘Escape Room’ party for the friends you don’t actually like…” one person remarked.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“I’d love one. If you ever read the Silo trilogy, it’d be cool to gut and fix,” another said.

Exterior Screengrab from Zillow

“As a person who owns several missiles, this place speaks to me,” one person commented. “All it needs is a little touch up paint here and there, redo some radar wiring, and ready for the moving trucks!”

Exterior Screengrab from Zillow

“You can make a fortune airbnb’ing this,” someone said.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“Unrivaled tornado protection—so you can focus on your serial killing,” another joked.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“I’m going to hold out until they drop the price by $5,000,” one person commented.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

“I’m not saying this is *for sure* a serial killer’s dream home…” someone joked.

Interior Screengrab from Zillow

And finally. ..

“Built to withstand a nuclear attack….but clearly has some water leaking in.”

Blueprint Screengrab from Zillow

Missile silos on the real estate market aren’t completely unheard of, at least when it comes to vacation rentals. In 2021, there were a couple that had been converted into Airbnbs — one in Arkansas and one in New Mexico, McClatchy News reported.

Abilene is about 93 miles north of Wichita.

This story was originally published January 31, 2022 1:33 PM.

TJ Macias

TJ Macías is a Real-Time national sports reporter for McClatchy based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Formerly, TJ covered the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers beat for numerous media outlets including 24/7 Sports and Mavs Maven (Sports Illustrated). Twitter: @TayloredSiren

For Sale: A Cold War Bunker and Missile Silo in North Dakota

The monolithic Space Age entities are for sale, and surrounded by two stretches of fencing. Courtesy Pifer’s Auctions

In This Story

Place

Remote Sprint Launcher #3 Missile Site

Part of a secret 1970s nuclear defense program is now open to the public.

Place

The Pyramid of North Dakota

The remnants of an early American attempt at missile defense.

Half an hour south of the Canadian border, in Fairdale, North Dakota, a hulking concrete structure rises up from the flat fields that surround it. The beige buildings are so prominent on an otherwise pastoral landscape that they could be mistaken for a 20th-century Stonehenge.

It’s a Cold War missile site, and it’s for sale.

In the 1970s, relations between the United States and the Soviet Union were about as chilly as you’d expect in the middle of a Cold War. Both nations were still locked in an arms race, expanding their arsenals just in case. In northern states such as Montana and the Dakotas, relics of the conflict are strikingly common. “The idea was that if missiles were coming in from the Soviet Union over the Arctic, these were defensive missiles intended to shoot down anyone coming in,” says Dave Keller, a realtor for Pifer’s Auctions, which is selling the property.

The for-sale plot, a 50-acre former missile site and command bunker, is surrounded by double fences and sits a short drive from other sites that formed the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, a network of missile silos across North Dakota. Others include a six-billion dollar pyramid in Nekoma that looks equal parts Giza and Death Star, and a nearby 30-missile site that is still open for tours today.

Much of the site is rusted and overgrown. Courtesy Pifer’s Auctions

The property on the auction block hosted 14 Sprint missiles, named for their short-range, last-ditch trajectories, which were meant to intercept any foreign projectiles that evaded the American military’s longer-range Spartan missiles.

The country’s northern reaches were selected for a couple reasons: They were closer to the Arctic, Keller says, “but also just population. You can put things out in the middle of a field and put a fence around them, put a ‘No Trespassing’ sign up, and people will stay away from them.”

Sprint missiles were 30-foot-long cones that could surpass 7,000 miles per hour. They looked a bit like supersonic thorns, eager to prick a hole in the ballooning threat of a Soviet ballistic attack. The silos that once held the explosives are now water tanks, and much of the site is rusted and overgrown, but that hasn’t slowed demand to own the isolated, concrete hulk.

Keller says calls have been coming in about the site from all over the country. Some calls have been from history buffs, some from entrepreneurs, and some from doomsday preppers, seeking a solid foundation on which to build their bunkers. “You’ve got Covid-19, you’ve got civil unrest—I got a call from one guy who thought this’d be a great place to have a server farm,” Keller says. “It’s safe, secure, and tornado-proof.”

The missile site rises dramatically from the fields that surround it. Courtesy Pifer’s Auctions

A direct conflict never broke out between the United States and U.S.S.R., and the silo’s explosives were eventually removed from the complex in North Dakota. But the Brutalist-looking architecture remains intact, a strange reminder of the tensions at the time. Today, the silos and bunker are yellow-brown monoliths against a lush meadow and blue sky. They would make a gargantuan fixer-upper.

The auction for the Cold War plot is set for August 11. “It’s remote, you can store stuff, you can go underground,” says Keller. “It’s the ultimate in social distancing.”

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Elon Musk’s Special Rocket Magic / Sudo Null IT News

Any discussion of Russian rocket science can be turned into a multi-page holivar if you write a four-letter word: “Mask”. Immediately there will be his supporters who will remember that rockets developed back in the 60s fly from Baikonur, and the SpaceX Mask company appeared only 12 years ago, and is already making a reusable rocket. In response, one will hear about the “sect of Musk lovers” and an eccentric charlatan who decided to challenge the Tsiolkovsky formula. In any case, those who are indifferent will quickly leave the discussion, and those who are not indifferent will continue to fight for their ideals. nine0003

What kind of person is Elon Musk, why did his appearance make Roscosmos talk about “competitors stepping on the heels”, and why does his Martian dreams inspire space enthusiasts on both sides of the ocean?

I will outline the main points in the formation of Elon as a rocket magnate, and then we will discuss on the topic of reusable rockets and the “cult of the Mask”.

Elon Musk is the former co-owner of the PayPal payment system. Having sold his stake for $165 million in 2002, he was left with money but nothing to do. Then he thought about where to spend them in an unbanal way, and decided to send an earthly plant in a hydroponic jar to Mars. According to his idea, the picture of a green escape on the Red Planet will inspire humanity to new space achievements. nine0003

Art from the VK group elonmusk

For this purpose, Musk visited Russia and asked the price of Dnepr conversion missiles. Their cost – about $ 20 million allowed him to carry out his plans. But instead of buying, Musk began to ponder why old Russian missiles are ten times cheaper than new American ones. Out of thought, the idea is born to produce our own missiles and make them even cheaper than Russian ones.

His decision successfully fell on the desire of the American state to dilute the missile monopoly of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, which in 2006 merged into the United Launch Alliance (ULA) and actually put NASA and the Pentagon on rockets with Russian Atlac V first-stage engines. government orders DARPA, and later NASA. Musk developed rockets on his own, and the launches were paid for by the state. In four years, SpaceX has created a lightweight Falcon 1 rocket, and after another four years, the Falcon 9 successfully launches- a medium-sized missile comparable in performance to the Russian Soyuz-2.

By this time, NASA is closing the Space Shuttle program and is left without manned spacecraft. To eliminate the backlog from Russia and China, competitions are announced in the United States for the creation of cargo and manned spacecraft. SpaceX undertakes to solve both problems, and already in 2012 the first Dragon truck successfully launches to the ISS.

Riding on the wave of success, Musk announces his next ambitious goals: reusable rocket, super-heavy rocket and colony on Mars. nine0003

In 2012, a video concept of the first idea is published.

And testing of the Grasshopper reusable rocket module begins.

Both videos become a source of furious discussions in these our internets.
Musk’s supporters are starting to count the meters that the grasshopper jumps to – 2 – 5 – 9 – 40 – 80 – 250 – 325 – 744 … Critics remind that it is a little higher to low Earth orbit, and Muse’s music will not give the necessary increase in thrust, for the successful solution of the Tsiolkovsky formula. nine0003

Few investors who invest in SpaceX and crowds of fans believe in the seriousness of Musk’s intentions. Experts are more reserved. Skeptics say the Grasshopper is roaming Texas to reassure investors who didn’t understand how Musk swindled them with a reusable rocket and a Mars dream. Numerous rocket experts on Vkontakte talk about the shortsightedness of Musk, who forgot about the parachute. And even real experts like Andrey Ionin, chief analyst at NP GLONASS, who trust Elon, believe that Grasshopper is needed to practice landing on Mars, i.e. do not believe in a reusable rocket. nine0003

In the meantime, SpaceX continues to evolve, upgrading the engines and the Falcon 9 itself, testing a fairing suitable for commercial launches and a future super-heavy rocket, and launching a satellite into geostationary orbit, i. e. claims the market not only for Soyuz, but also for Proton.

Grasshopper retires in 2013 and is replaced by the more advanced Falcon 9R.
R stands for reusable “reusable”. This is already a real rocket stage with legs, analogues of which should be sent in the future to a height of about 100 km and return unharmed. nine0003

At the same time, SpaceX continues to launch under a contract with NASA, and launches commercial satellites. They have nothing to do with the creation of a reusable rocket. But SpaceX manages to combine the fulfillment of contracts and the development of future technologies.

In September 2013, they launch a rocket, the first stage of which must try to maneuver for the first time after completing the main task. During this launch, the stage had to take a vertical position, which is necessary for a future soft landing. nine0003

Attempts to control the falling stage are visible from the 4th minute.

The tests ended in failure, despite the fact that the main task – launching the Canadian satellite Cassiope into orbit, was successfully completed. But on the way back, the rocket stage began to rotate in the longitudinal axis, the fuel in the tanks rose up under the action of centrifugal force, and the engines caught fire. Despite the failure, Musk reported: “Now we know what to do.”

And so, on April 18, 2014, after numerous transfers, the first real rocket with legs was launched. nine0007
The launch of the Dragon spacecraft went flawlessly, but the real fun started later. The first stage of the rocket, after separation, began to maneuver. First, it was necessary to achieve the first goal – to verticalize the rocket. This was achieved thanks to the second stage of testing – the disclosure of the support “legs”. The rocket landed / fell into the Atlantic Ocean, and, unfortunately, there was a storm.

Despite the wind and waves, the first stage was able to enter the water at low speed and in an almost perfectly vertical position. That is, the goals of the test were fully achieved, but the ships could not find the rocket in the raging sea, and we were left with only an indistinct video that we could receive on the radio. nine0003

In this video, you can see the final landing – open “legs” and a wave on the ocean surface, diverging from the running engines.

So why is Musk’s idea causing such heated discussions in Russia?

Even now, with its disposable rockets, SpaceX payload launch costs are comparable to Russian prices. And Russia only thanks to the prices and reliability of media holds a leading position in the global launch market. But the Falcon 9 did not have complete fails either (there was one partial one, when they lost associated microsatellites). At the same time, SpaceX paid not only for production, but also for the development of the rocket. The design of Russian models, for the most part, was paid for by the USSR budget. Someone believes that Musk’s current prices are deliberate dumping in the hope of future orders and ousting competitors from the market. Even so, he has already shown his superiority over modern Russian rocket scientists, if we compare the time of creation of the Angara and Falcon. nine0003

Musk is not a superhero. 4-5 years for a rocket is real. The same “Proton” was created in 3 years. But, it seems to me, there is much more in common between the creators of Proton and Musk than between the creators of Proton and Angara. Musk is obsessed with space, his phrase is known that he dreams of ending his life on Mars, and not from hitting the surface. In the same way, Korolev and Chelomey were obsessed with the cosmos. The deadlines with which they solved the problems are amazing, in comparison with today’s Russian space burden. nine0003

Today’s goal of Russian space enterprises is the state order. And the longer it lasts, the better for them. Elon Musk’s goal is Mars, and the government order is just a tool that he uses to his advantage. Whether he makes a reusable rocket or not is not so important. The whole point is in his striving upwards, in the development and constant improvement of technology. This is what inspires his supporters around the world.

Although many people hope and really believe in a miracle, in his Falcon 9Reusable. If he does create it, it will bring down the cost of launching into low Earth orbit, leave behind even cheap Dneprs, and open a new stage in space exploration.

And I want it to happen! So that Soyuz, Proton and the unborn Angara become too expensive and unnecessary missiles. Then, Roskosmos will have to wake up from bureaucratic hibernation, remember the Soviet youth, and finally engage in breakthrough developments of the future in order to catch up with competitors. Can he do this? Don’t know. However…

At the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. prof. NOT. Zhukovsky completed the first stage of comprehensive research of reusable launch vehicles (MRKN). TsAGI specialists have formed proposals for improving the promising system for launching into orbit, developed by the State Research and Production Space Center named after M.V. Khrunichev in cooperation with more than twenty enterprises of the aerospace industry.
It is planned that the new MRKN family will ensure the launch of payloads weighing from 20 to 60 tons without first stage impact fields, which is a qualitatively new step in domestic rocket science. ..

We’ll wait and see.

China is building mass silos for intercontinental nuclear missiles

The desert of northern Gansu Province / Wikimedia

China is building 119 new silos for basing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), the American newspaper The Washington Post (WP) reported, citing employees of the James Martin Center for the study of non-proliferation problems. According to them, the construction is deployed in the desert of the northern province of Gansu, the objects were identified through the analysis of commercial satellite images. “At 119Near-identical construction sites contain elements replicating those seen on existing launchers destined for China’s arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles,” the James Martin Center said in a statement.

According to WP, the construction of more than 100 silos to launch Chinese ICBMs will be “a historic turning point for Beijing.” Now, according to the American publication, China’s nuclear arsenal has from 250 to 350 different missiles (not all of them are ICBMs) with nuclear warheads. nine0003

But large-scale construction on a large scale does not mean at all that China will acquire another hundred ICBMs. According to WP, in the past, the Chinese authorities often built false launch silos, so even now the number of actually deployed missiles can be significantly less than the number of silos. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, as well as the PRC Embassy in Washington, did not respond to WP’s request.

The construction of these mines will greatly increase the potential of China’s strategic weapons, says the director of the East Asia Nuclear Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute, Geoffrey Lewis. According to him, these mines are possibly intended for the new Chinese DF-41 ICBMs. These missiles can carry multiple warheads at once and have a range of almost 15,000 km. Thus, DF-41s are a potential threat to the continental United States. nine0003

According to Vasily Kashin, a senior research fellow at the Higher School of Economics, China has been actively building up its nuclear arsenals since the 2010s. Recently, this process has accelerated, as the Chinese managed to create new carriers, and now the PRC, unlike Britain and France, produces “the entire range of nuclear weapons delivery: ICBMs, medium-range missiles, missiles on submarines and bombers.”

According to Kashin, by the beginning of the 2030s. China will become the third nuclear power along with Russia and the United States. According to the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty, the US and Russia may have up to 700 strategic delivery vehicles, including ICBMs, with nuclear warheads. Until that time, all attempts by Washington to involve Beijing in a dialogue on strategic stability are doomed to failure, since at this stage China is simply not interested in such negotiations. Regarding the mines under construction, the expert is sure that most of them are false missile positions: there will be exactly less than half of the missiles in these mines – from 10 to 20% of the total number of mines built. He also notes that the DF-41 missiles were specifically designed as weapons capable of striking the US mainland.