After spending $6.1 billion, the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex was decommissioned on 2nd October 1975, just one day after becoming operational.
The cluster of buildings were to provide launch and control facilities for 30 LIM-49 Spartan anti-ballistic missiles, and 70 shorter-range Sprint anti-ballistic missiles. Under the terms of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the US was only permitted to deploy 100 missiles was the maximum permitted under the treaty. As a result, the House of Representatives voted on 2 October 1975 to decommission the project after they deemed it ineffective.
The total spent in today’s money amounts to an eye-watering $15 billion.
The U.S. built pyramid that functioned for 1 day
