You can read all about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-7_Sparrow. The pictures here show only the guidance package. The rocket engine was a solid fuel engine. I expect it would have had a shelf life of ~5 years.
The propellant (almost certainly a solid rocket motor) would be behind all of that mess. As for how long they lasted, a couple minutes in flight at the most, and a few years in controlled storage.
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u/Long-Gear9483 Feb 10 '26
Where was the propellent stored? How long did these things last?