We would like to thank our loyal fellow members of the Nike Historical Society for your continued support over the years.
We will be closing the Society, including the store, as of March 31, 2024.
We have acquired a large repository of Nike technical information.
The web site will continue to be available.
It has been our pleasure to keep the legacy of the Nike missile's contribution of the successful conclusion to the Cold War.
the Board of Directors
Nike Historical Society
ZEUS - NIKE-X
OCT 1956 - Released results of study of defense against ICBM.
FEB 1957 - Project ZEUS authorized.
OCT 1958 - Start of site preparation for Acquisition Radar(ZAR).
JUL 1959 - Start of site preparation for Target Track Radar(TTR).
AUG 1959 - First firing (winged configuration).
APR 1960 - First firing from underground cell.
JUN 1960 - Only firing from unported cell.
AUG 1960 - First firing (canard configuration).
DEC 1960 - First firing with radar control (EMIR).
JAN 1961 - Start of site preparation for Discrimination Radar (DR).
JUL 1961 - First firing with ZEUS missile track radar control.
SEP 1961 - First firing at Pt. Mugu.
DEC 1961 - First system test against ballistic target (HERCULES).
APR 1962 - First system test with warhead kit against simulated ICBM.
NOV 1962 - First system test with 3rd stage jet-head control against
simulated ICBM.
DEC 1962 - Last firing at Pt. Mugu.
JAN 1963 - Now known as NIKE-X.
DEC 1963 - Last firing at WSMR.
(Total of 72 firings at WSMR and 19 firings at Pt. Mugu.)
1964 - Continued operation of TTR and DR for subsystem
1965 tests and re-entry measurements.