Cool VLS image capture

phavoc

Emperor Mongoose
The link below shows the moment right after ignition for an SM-3 being launched out of the new missile defense base in Romania. I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like this is an 8cell launcher, with the launch exhausts being funneled out of a channel between the separate cells.

I would imagine space-based missiles being kicked out of the cell or cold launched before they ignited their engines. Though the materials could probably take the exhaust. Grav-based engines might be a little different though, so ejecting the missile might make sense.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/19/Raytheon-cruise-missile-interceptor/?ncid=rss_truncated
 
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