USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23)

USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23) began its life as a Mariner-class merchant ship launched in 1953 and was later converted into a missile range instrumentation ship for the U.S. Navy. The vessel played a crucial role during the Cold War by supporting the testing and development of the Polaris and Poseidon ballistic missile programs, serving as a tracking and telemetry platform for intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests. Observation Island was the first ship to successfully launch a Polaris missile from its deck in 1959, marking a significant milestone in naval missile technology. Throughout its service, the ship continued to provide vital support for missile tracking and space missions until its deactivation in 2014.