Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 9

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CCAFS LC-9
Navaho missile on the launch pad of Launch Complex 9 (1956)
Navaho missile on the launch pad of Launch Complex 9 (1956)
Coordinates 28 ° 27 ′ 7 ″  N , 80 ° 33 ′ 22 ″  W Coordinates: 28 ° 27 ′ 7 ″  N , 80 ° 33 ′ 22 ″  W
Type Launch site for cruise missiles
operator US Air Force
Launch pads 1
Missiles Navaho
First start November 6, 1956
Last start November 18, 1958
Total starts 10
status inactive
CCAFSLC-39 Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 SLC-41 Space Launch Complex 41 SLC-40 Space Launch Complex 40 LC-47 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 47 SLC-37 Space Launch Complex 37 LC-34 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 34 LC-20 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 20 LC-19 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 19 LC-16 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 16 LC-15 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 15 LC-14 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 14 LC-13 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 13 LC-12 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 12 LC-11 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 11 LC-36 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 36 LC-46 Space Launch Complex 46 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 21 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 22 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 9 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 10 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 31 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 32 LC-18 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 18 LC-22 LC-17 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 17 LC-26 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 26 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 5 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 6 LC-29 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 29 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 25 LC-30 Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 30
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Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 9 (LC-9) is a disused launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Merritt Island , Cape Canaveral , Florida , USA . It was used between 1956 and 1958 for the test program of the cruise missile Navaho .

history

Launch Complex 9 was the mid-1950s by the US Air Force for test launches of the unmanned Navaho cruise missile ( Engl. Cruise missile ) built. A Navaho rocket consisted of two parts, a launch rocket and the actual cruise missile with two ramjet engines for propulsion. The concept envisaged that the winged cruise missile would be brought to a height of 13 km by the launch rocket, then separate at a speed of Mach 3 and continue the flight independently. If the missions were successful, the cruise missile would eventually land on a runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The US Air Force officially recognized Launch Complex 9 on June 29, 1956, the first launch took place on November 6 of the same year and ended with the rocket being destroyed after 26 seconds. During the third Navaho launch attempt on April 25, 1957, the cruise missile exploded on the launch table, damaging the launch pad. The following launches were also unsuccessful, so that the program was discontinued in 1957 and Navaho was replaced by the Atlas ICBM . The last launch of Launch Complex 9 took place on November 18, 1958; the launch systems were partially dismantled in 1959 to make room for the launch pads of the Minuteman ICBM . A total of ten Navaho missiles were launched from Launch Complex 9.

The complex

The Navaho missile was in the center of the launch table, over a baffle for the shock wave . The exhaust gases from the engines were discharged via the flame trench and cooled by a water jacket . On the other side of the launch pad was the so-called directional arm, which set up the rocket before launch and could be used for maintenance work. In addition, a weather protection attached to rails could be driven over the launch site. The launches of the Navaho missile were monitored from a neighboring bunker, the log cabin, which now serves as a storage room. From there, the launch pad could be observed through a periscope or angled mirrors.

Start list

date Time ( UTC ) Missile type serial number
November 6, 1956 Navaho 03
March 22, 1957 Navaho 06
April 25, 1957 Navaho 07
June 26, 1957 Navaho 08
September 18, 1957 Navaho 10
November 13, 1957 17:28 Navaho 11
January 10, 1958 19:38 Navaho 13
February 26, 1958 17:22 Navaho 12
September 11, 1958 Navaho 14th
November 18, 1958 21:03 Navaho 04

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