Isikhungo sangaphambili sokwethulwa kwemicibisholo yenuzi esivalwe ngesikhathi iMpi Yomshoshaphansi isiyaphela sivulwe ngoMsombuluko emphakathini onelukuluku lokubona ukuthi bekunjani ukuphila endaweni eyimfihlo eyake yaba phezulu.

Indawo ye-Ronald Reagan Minuteman, ezungezwe amasimu kakolweni nobhontshisi wesoya empumalanga yeNyakatho Dakota, yayibukeka kakhulu njengoba yayizoba njalo ngo-1997 ngenkathi isasebenza.

Indawo yokuhlala yangaphambili, ibhilidi elingama-60ft ngaphezu kwesikhungo sokulawula imicibisholo yenuzi engaphansi komhlaba, isenazo izinto zasekhishini, omabonakude, itafula lokubhukuda kanye nomagazini eyayikwenza lapho isiza sivalwa.

'Isikhathi se-capsule yeqiniso. Ihlinzekwa ngezindlela iziza eziningi ebezingaphupha ngazo,' kusho uKaputeni we-Air Force osewathatha umhlalaphansi u-Mark Sunlov, owayeyisikhulu sezikhali ezicitshwayo manje osengamele le ndawo.

Indawo yokuhlala inamakamelo okulala ayisikhombisa, okuhlanganisa nelilodwa elisetshenziswa uSunlov njengehhovisi, ikhishi lezentengiselwano kanye negumbi lokudlela, igumbi lokukala isisindo elinebhayisikili lezinto zokubhala, kanye negumbi lemidlalo.

Izivakashi zingangena ngaphansi komhlaba zibuke lapho izikhulu ze-Air Force zake zahlala khona ukuze zilinde impi yenuzi engase ibe khona. Bekuwumsebenzi wabo ukuqapha imicibisholo yenuzi eyi-10 eseduze iMinuteman III - nokuyethula uma beyaliwe.

Ikheshi elithwala impahla lithathe izivakashi ezingaba ngu-30 ngoMsombuluko liziyisa emakamelweni amabili anemigede afana nemigudu yesitimela, lapho umoya ongaphansi komhlaba wawunuka kabi uphethiloli kadizili nezingxenye zephansi zinamathelwe uketshezi olusebenza ngogesi.

Igumbi elilodwa lalinamajeneretha kadizili nama-air conditioner ukuze kuphole imishini. Elinye bekungelezikhulu ezimbili ebezisebenza amahora angama-24.

Imigqa yokukhanya kukhonsoli ibonise isimo se-missile ngayinye. Eyodwa ebhalwe ukuthi 'missile away' izobonisa ukuqaliswa.

Iphoyisa elilodwa lalivame ukulala endlini encane kuyilapho elesibili lisemsebenzini. Kepha womabili la maphoyisa, kanye nomunye umbhangqwana endaweni ehlukile, kuzofanele banikeze umyalo nganoma yikuphi ukwethulwa, kusho uSunlov.

'Sifuna ukuwuqeda lowo mbono wokuthi insizwa eyodwa eye yaba nosuku olubi ingacindezela inkinobho,' esho. 'Abantu abangazi lutho ngohlelo, ngicabanga ukuthi bahamba bezizwa bephephile.'

ULari Helgren, 58, owayenguchwepheshe wokunakekela imvelo e-Air Force, uthe ukuvakasha kwakhe kubuyise izinkumbulo ngesikhathi esebenza lapho elungisa amasistimu okubamba umoya, amajeneretha kadizili namalambu axwayisayo.

'Ngike ngalala kule ngosi futhi ngadla kule ngosi, futhi sengisebenze phansi kaningi kule ngosi,' kusho uHelgren.

“Ngibone cishe zonke izinkinga ebezingenzeka lapha ngaphandle,” kusho yena.

Indawo yezikhali ezicitshwayo, ecishe ibe ngamamayela amathathu enyakatho yeCooperstown kanye namakhilomitha angaba ngu-70 enyakatho-ntshonalanga yeFargo, ingenye yezindawo ezimbalwa zase-US ezikhumbula iMpi Yomshoshaphansi.

I-National Park Service isebenzisa isikhungo sangaphambili sokwethulwa kwe-Minuteman II kanye ne-missile silo eNingizimu Dakota. E-Arizona, abalondolozi bemvelo basebenza endaweni yangaphambili ye-Titan nuclear missile site.