hot launch

military technology

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

A "hot launch" is a method used for some ballistic missiles where the rocket engines ignite within the launch silo. This process propels the missile out of the silo, but it also typically destroys the silo itself, meaning it can only be used once. This contrasts with the "cold launch" method, pioneered by the Soviets, where a missile is ejected from the silo by gas pressure before its engines ignite. This allows the silo to be reused after minor repairs.1

Hot launches are a design principle for land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and are primarily employed by the United States. This method is one of the ways to achieve prelaunch survivability for missiles, though it comes at the cost of silo reusability.1

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rocket and missile system
Design principles
silos are designed for one-time “hot-launch” use, the rocket engines igniting within the silo and essentially destroying it as the missile departs. The Soviets pioneered the “cold-launch” method, in which the missile is expelled by gas and the rocket engine ignited after the missile clears the silo. This method, essentially…
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silos are designed for one-time “hot-launch” use, the rocket engines igniting within the silo and essentially destroying it as the missile departs. The Soviets pioneered the “cold-launch” method, in which the missile is expelled by gas and the rocket engine ignited after the missile clears the silo. This method, essentially…
Read More