The U.S. military launched a Minuteman 3 missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California early on May 3.
The unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile hit is target in the South Pacific—4,200 miles away.
Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work said the tests send a message to strategic rivals like North Korea. “That’s exactly why we do this,” Work told reporters before the launch.
This was the second test in a week—doubling the weight of the message.
The United States has about 450 Minuteman 3 ICBMs, each with a range of about 8,000 miles.
Each Minuteman can carry three warheads, each of which can independently aim at a different target.
