Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 21
CCAFS LC-21 | |
---|---|
Mace shortly after the LC-21 took off | |
Coordinates | 28 ° 27 '42 " N , 80 ° 32' 30" W |
Type | ? |
operator | US Air Force |
start of building | 1956 |
Launch pads | 2 |
Missiles | Goose Mace |
Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 21 (LC-21) is a decommissioned rocket launch site of the US Air Force with two launch ramps , which are housed in hangars, and belongs to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station . It is located on Cape Canaveral in Florida , USA .
history
This unusual complex was built together with the LC-22 in 1956. Both launch pads were designed for the Air Force's Goose winged missile. Two years later, on July 24, 1958, the first Goose rocket launched from here. Three more flights followed by December 1958.
Then the halls were rebuilt so that the new Mace missiles could start. By July 17, 1963, 37 mace launches had taken place from here. There has only been one failure in the entire history of the launch pad. On January 12, 1962, two rockets were launched from this complex.
The complex
The complex consists of two start halls. In both there are rails that lead from the floor to the several meters high openings through which the rockets were launched. When taking off, they were not standing vertically, but at an angle of around 20 ° (like an airplane taking off). The rockets were set down at the lower end of the rails so that they started through the opening with the run-up they got on the rails.
While the rocket ignited and was therefore still in the hall, the combustion gases were led outside through a huge exhaust pipe that was located at the lower end of the rails.
Start list
date | Type | mission | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
July 24, 1958 | Goose | Test mission | success |
September 12, 1958 | Goose | Test mission | success |
September 25, 1958 | Goose | Test mission | success |
5th December 1958 | Goose | Test mission | Success , last goose start |
July 11, 1960 | Mace | Test mission | success |
September 21, 1960 | Mace | Test mission | success |
October 7, 1960 | Mace | Test mission | success |
October 21, 1960 | Mace | Test mission | success |
November 15, 1960 | Mace | Test mission | success |
December 16, 1960 | Mace | Test mission | success |
March 7, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
March 16, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
March 28, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | False start |
April 28, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
June 2, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
June 16, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
June 21, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
July 18, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
4th August 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
September 1, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
September 22, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
November 14, 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
5th December 1961 | Mace | Test mission | success |
January 12, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
January 12, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
January 24, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
January 26, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
February 1, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
February 8, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
February 15, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
February 21, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
March 1, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
March 2, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
October 31, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
November 8, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
4th December 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
December 11, 1962 | Mace | Test mission | success |
5th June 1963 | Mace | Test mission | success |
June 12, 1963 | Mace | Test mission | success |
June 28, 1963 | Mace | Test mission | success |
17th July 1963 | Mace | Test mission | success |
Web links
- Cape Canaveral LC21 / 1 and LC21 / 2 in the Encyclopedia Astronautica (English)
- LC-21 in the CCAFS tour (English)