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The following few examples demonstrate that the topics of ICBMs and space-related weapons can be well-received on this site:

The question How Much Time Did We Have to "Duck and Cover" From an ICBM Launch Only 666 Miles Away? and while it contains specific information on a scenario I think the answers can draw from exactly the same knowledge base and math and physics that many other answers do here.

Not all of them, but many ICBM and space-related weapons questions have been on-topic, and this question seems to fall in well with the other the examples above. Why not leave it open? How is the site improved by closing it and preventing others from posting answers?

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    $\begingroup$ That one about the nuclear cruise missile was never on topic imho. $\endgroup$
    – Organic Marble
    Commented May 23, 2020 at 11:13
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    $\begingroup$ (moved from elsewhere for historical) Long term, we really might want to make space-related weapons explicitly on-topic, I think the site could handle the technical Space Force questions, those that didn't fit in Politics SE. So I thought this question, though not perfect, isn't the kind we'd want to set president as closable because it would make it even more difficult to keep the next space-related weapons question on-topic. That's my thinking at least. Probably we need a well written question exactly about that, rather than this one which is about a specific question. (adding the tag now) $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented May 23, 2020 at 15:58

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While the question could be cut down to a sub-orbital trajectory question (and closed as a duplicate), that doesn't seem to be what the OP was be asking.

The launch detection, threat assessment and response procedures needed to answer the question are really not on topic.

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  • $\begingroup$ Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. $\endgroup$
    – gerrit
    Commented May 25, 2020 at 12:13
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The relevant bit here isn't whether it's a weapon or not. It's whether the question has any relevance to space exploration.

The question on how long till the ICBM hits is entirely off topic. It's also not a good question anyway - it has a couple of flawed assumptions, the time given was a rough guide anyway, and simple maths gives you the answer (as does Google)

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  • $\begingroup$ -1 because if this is applied uniformly rather than just to this question, it would result in the closing of other well-received questions. If for example "how long" is entirely off topic then why is Is it correct that it takes approx. 30 minutes for an ICBM to reach Russia? so well-received and well-answered? $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented May 23, 2020 at 13:04
  • $\begingroup$ @RussellBorogove oh I'm not punishing anybody! I think the question in question should be left open for at least a few days. My gosh they've been thinking about this for decades, there's no better rocket-based SE site, and I just don't see the harm to the site leaving this open for a while at least. $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented May 23, 2020 at 13:16
  • $\begingroup$ See my comments under this answer. $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 4:03

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