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The guidance system and computer of the Minuteman III nuclear missile

The Minuteman missile was introduced in 1962 as a key part of America's nuclear deterrent. The Minuteman III missile is currently the only U...

The top half is the electronic equipment chassis, holding the power supplies for the computer and the stable platform, as well as servo control amplifiers, oscillators, and converters. These projects bought integrated circuits by the hundreds of thousands, helping the IC industry move from low-volume prototypes to mass-produced commodities, both by providing demand and by motivating companies to fix yield problems. Dozens of organizations, from Harvard to the Center for Disease Control to Tektronix jumped at the chance to obtain a free computer, even if it was slow and difficult to use, forming a large users group to share programming tips.

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