Explain the differences between the boost phase, midcourse phase, and terminal phase of a ballistic missile's flight path.

The boost phase, midcourse phase, and terminal phase are the three primary phases of a ballistic missile's flight path. Understanding each phase is essential to developing an effective nuclear missile defense system. The boost phase is the first stage of a missile's flight and is the period where the missile is accelerating rapidly. During this phase, the missile is still in the earth's atmosphere and is visible to radar and infrared sensors. Since the missile is moving quickly and has a short flight time, it is challenging to intercept during the boost phase. For this reason, most missile defense systems focus on intercepting miss....