Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 18
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Launch Complex 18 (LC-18) is a launch complex at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida that was active during the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was used by Viking, Vanguard, Thor and Scout rockets. The complex consists of two launch pads, LC-18A, which was originally built by the United States Navy for the Vanguard rocket, and LC-18B, which was originally by the United States Air Force used for tests of the PGM-17 Thor missile.
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| Launch site | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Location | 28°26′57″N 80°33′44″W / 28.4493°N 80.5623°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short name | LC-18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | NASA U.S. Space Force | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total launches | 47 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch pad(s) | Two | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
editThe first launch from LC-18 was a Viking rocket from LC-18A on December 8, 1956, on a test flight for Project Vanguard. A further Viking launch was conducted in May 1957, and the Vanguard made its maiden flight from the complex in September. Following this, the United States first satellite launch attempt was made from LC-18A, using Vanguard TV3, on December 6, 1957. The launch failed after the rocket lost thrust and exploded on the launch pad. All twelve Vanguard launches were conducted from LC-18A, with the complex being transferred to NASA after it took over responsibility for Vanguard following its formation in 1958. After the Vanguard's retirement in 1959, LC-18A was transferred to the US Air Force for use by Scout rockets.
LC-18B was used for 17 tests of Thor missiles between June 4, 1958 and February 29, 1960. Following this, it was also converted for use by Scout rockets.
Sixteen Scouts were launched from LC-18; ten from LC-18A and six from LC-18B. Fifteen of the launches were suborbital sounding flights, and one was an orbital launch with the Mercury-Scout 1 satellite for NASA. This failed to reach orbit and was destroyed by range safety 43 seconds after launch. The launches from LC-18A used the Blue Scout Junior configuration, and were conducted between September 21, 1960 and June 9, 1965. The launches from LC-18B consisted of three Blue Scout I rockets and three Blue Scout IIs, launched between January 7, 1961 and April 12, 1962.
Following the retirement of the Scout family at Cape Canaveral (opting instead to have launches conducted from the Wallops Flight Facility), LC-18 has sat dormant. As of August 2024, the United States Space Force plans to fully demolish the site and the neighboring SLC-17 in favor of extending Lighthouse Road and reconnecting its two separate sections back together.[1]
Launch statistics
editLC-18A
editLC-18B
editReferences
edit- ^ "NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 Industry Day". Space and Missile Systems Center. August 20, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
External links
edit- Wade, Mark. "Cape Canaveral LC18". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on July 6, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- Wade, Mark. "Cape Canaveral LC18A". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- Wade, Mark. "Cape Canaveral LC18B". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on March 30, 2009. Retrieved April 23, 2009.