But that doesn't jive because there was no nuclear detonation.

Unless you think all SLBMs are toothless. IE no nukes.

I guess we can go back to a test launch during rush hour on the west coast. Back to the Obama Admin playing bad with an unfunny game. To get some legislation passed. I pray that is not the case.

Huh. Seems someone might have asked about that...

Oh, right:

Accidentally launching an SLBM would be much easier than accidentally making the warhead go off...

If a missile lights off in the tube, it will more than likely destroy the boat carrying it.

The point is ....once launched the warheads are not recallable or able to be disabled in any manner. This isn't hollywood.

Once launched detonation will occur unless it is a test. To allow for any means of self destruct or any interference of the missile in flight removes any usefullness it may have.

You know that as a fact?

I would like to believe otherwise.

Good point.

Let me rephrase my question, then:
Does the warhead need to be armed before launch (as part of the button-pressing, key-turning fun the movies portray), or is it automatically armed when the missile leaves the tube, or is it sitting ready to go on top of the missile waiting for the command to detonate it?

I'm ruling out international incident. Somebody would have stepped forward by now to claim responsibility and strike fear into our hearts, and there would have been special reports on local TV all afternoon.

Has anyone mentioned an unannounced commercial spaceplane launch as a possibility? Spaceship 2 has crossed my mind a couple of times, but I doubt either Branson or Rutan would risk their hides over a stupid mistake like that. That, and they probably would have come forward with an apology by now.

I would've thought it was the opposite, that no detonation will occur unless it is actually made to detonate before launching.

IIRC, that is the line that is put out by the US military, that their ICBMs do not have a kill switch. The emphasis is put on avoiding a unintentional launch in the first place.
The trouble with having a kill switch after launch is the possibility of enemy interference making the missiles self-destruct before they reach their targets.

Likely an airplane, just from one of those odd angles that makes it look like something its not.

All warhead coding/enabling and missile launch codes must be entered prior to launch. Once launched the missile doesn't even need to know where it is...it just needs to know where it is not ...and goes to where it needs to be. Which is part of the launch code.

I think that is wrong.