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The Keyboards in a Nuclear Launch Control Center
Posted: 01 Oct 2018, 04:31
by laxfan91
So I got to go to a decommissioned ICBM LCC up in ND, USA and of course I was looking at the keyboards there. The place was decommissioned in 1997 so it's a mix of the 60s through the 90s. There were all sorts of keyboards and buttons for launching ICBMs anywhere in the world.
I posted this on Reddit but no one commented. I'm trying to find more information on these keyboards that I took pics of except for the Model M haha! Yes, I was allowed to touch the keyboards and check their feel...but I feel something bad would happen if i got my trusty key pulling tool out.
The link is below along with the Reddit post.
https://imgur.com/a/MshnVCR
https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyb ... ol_center/
Posted: 01 Oct 2018, 07:51
by Chyros
Wow. That is incredibly cool xD . I've genuinely wondered what kind of keyboards they use in those facilities before!
Looks like there's a fair bit of Hall effect going on - which makes sense xD .
Posted: 01 Oct 2018, 16:23
by JP!
This is the true endgame keyboard.
Posted: 01 Oct 2018, 16:37
by vvp
Chyros wrote: I've genuinely wondered what kind of keyboards they use in those facilities before!
Well, I hope they use keyboards with some real good de-bouncing

Posted: 01 Oct 2018, 17:38
by vometia
I saw the PS/2 or whatevs and thought "meh", but then scrolling down to the
proper computery-looking things: I want my computers of mass destruction to look like props from Max Headroom, which these certainly do.
I'm vaguely reminded of a rare interview with a guy from one of the UK's nuclear subs who was asked what awesome trigger mechanism was used to fire off a nuclear missile. He looked rather downcast when he said "left mouse-click". And elaborated, saying they had asked for a big red button but the request was refused.

Posted: 01 Oct 2018, 19:33
by digital_matthew
Pretty awesome. Looks like someone snagged a nice souvenir; the Model M's Esc key.
vometia wrote: I saw the PS/2 or whatevs and thought "meh", but then scrolling down to the
proper computery-looking things: I want my computers of mass destruction to look like props from Max Headroom, which these certainly do.
I'm vaguely reminded of a rare interview with a guy from one of the UK's nuclear subs who was asked what awesome trigger mechanism was used to fire off a nuclear missile. He looked rather downcast when he said "left mouse-click". And elaborated, saying they had asked for a big red button but the request was refused.


I hope that button at least had a molly-guard.
Posted: 01 Oct 2018, 21:22
by laxfan91
vometia wrote: I saw the PS/2 or whatevs and thought "meh", but then scrolling down to the
proper computery-looking things: I want my computers of mass destruction to look like props from Max Headroom, which these certainly do.
I'm vaguely reminded of a rare interview with a guy from one of the UK's nuclear subs who was asked what awesome trigger mechanism was used to fire off a nuclear missile. He looked rather downcast when he said "left mouse-click". And elaborated, saying they had asked for a big red button but the request was refused.

Hey, that PS/2 Model M was for the rec room. These guys were officers except for the security guys...they got a rubber dome with a big ass enter. Very forgettable but hey I'll post it anyway along some other stuff.
Posted: 01 Oct 2018, 21:57
by vometia
Now that thing at the top, whatever it is: that looks like a proper computer. Even if it is just a phone. It's still what a proper computer should look like. The one on the bottom (perhaps the wrong phrasing to use with "rubber dome" and "big ass enter") is just meh.