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Regarding how Polaris subs were navigated and how important an accurate 
position was, I had forgotten about inertial navigation.  I remember now the 
Navy bragging about it back then.  I would suppose a submarine would be 
ideally suited to inertial nav as turbulence or rough water are non-existent.

This is transcribed from:

http://books.google.com/books?id=U86giz-cluoC&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=polaris+missile+submarine+navigation&source=bl&ots=uIxv51UZL4&sig=6-SsCKSEbW285VpPfIAyO4iScaQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FnuET_-UOaTk0QGE-427Bw&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=polaris%20missile%20submarine%20navigation&f=false

which is the Google books edition of "Cold War Submarines: The Design and 
Constructions of U.S. and Soviet Submarines."

page 122:
> As important as the missiles was the development (at an accelerated rate) of 
the fire control and navigation systems for Polaris submarines.  The latter 
was particularly critical because of the long ranges of the missle and the 
need for the submarine to remain submerged (except for masts and antennas 
raised on a periodic basis).  Recalling that this was in the period of 
primitive navigation satellites such as the Transit, the Ships Inertial 
Navigation System (SINS) developed for the Polaris program was a remarkable 
technological achievement.



Fred Hebard




On Apr 10, 2012, at 2:14 PM, Alexandre E Eremenko wrote:

> 
> Richard,
> Thanks.
> Do you know how accurate it was?
> 
>> The first TRANSIT satellite was launched in 1961. The system was
>> declared operational in 1964 and became classified. In 1967 it was
>> declassified and became available for civilian use.
> 
> Alex.
> 
> 
> 
> 

   

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