Missile Row
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2010) |
Missile Row was a nickname given in the 1960s to the United States Space Force and NASA launch complexes at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS). Operated by the 45th Space Wing since 1949, it was the site of all pre-Apollo 8 manned launches, as well as many other early Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA launches. For the DoD, it plays a secondary role to Vandenberg AFB in California, but is the launch site for many NASA unmanned space probes, as those spacecraft are typically launched on United States Space Force launchers. Active launch vehicles are in bold.
Much of the support activity for Cape Canaveral Space Force Station occurs at Patrick Space Force Base to the south, its reporting base.
List of sites
[edit]Active sites
[edit]Some of the launch complexes have been recommissioned for modern space vehicle launches.
| Site | Status | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Space Launch Complex 11 | Active – Used by Blue Origin | Current: BE-4 test stand area for New Glenn – Combined into Space Launch Complex 36
Formerly: Atlas |
| Space Launch Complex 13
(Landing Zone 1 and 2) |
Active – Used by SpaceX | Current: Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy first stage landing site[1] Future: Phantom Space, Vaya Space[2] Formerly: Atlas, Atlas Agena |
| Space Launch Complex 40 | Active – Used by SpaceX | Current: Falcon 9 Formerly: Titan III, Titan IV |
| Space Launch Complex 41 | Active – Used by United Launch Alliance | Current: Atlas V, Vulcan Centaur Formerly: Titan III, Titan IV |
Sites leased for future use
[edit]Some of the launch sites have been leased out to various NewSpace companies for future use.
| Site | Status | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Space Launch Complex 14 | Inactive – Leased to Stoke Space | Future: Nova
Formerly: Atlas, Mercury/Atlas D, Atlas-Able, Atlas Agena |
| Space Launch Complex 15 | Inactive – Leased to ABL Space Systems | Future: RS1 |
| Space Launch Complex 16 | Undergoing renovation – Leased to Relativity Space | Future: Terran R
Formerly: Titan I, Titan II, Pershing 1a, Terran 1 |
| Space Launch Complex 20 | Inactive – Leased to Firefly Aerospace | Future: Firefly Alpha
Formerly: Titan I, Titan III, Starbird, Prospector, Aries, LCLV, Super Loki |
Inactive Sites
[edit]Other
[edit]| Site | Status | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Missile Range drop zone | Inactive | High Virgo, Bold Orion, Hound Dog, Skybolt |
| Grand Turk Island drop zone | Inactive | |
| Mobile Launch Area | Inactive | Lark, Matador, MX-775, Snark[citation needed] |
| SLBM Launch Area | Inactive | Polaris, Poseidon, Trident |
| Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Skid Strip | Active | Navaho, Pegasus, Pegasus XL |
References
[edit]- ^ Gruss, Mike. "SpaceX Leases Florida Launch Pad for Falcon Landings". Spacenews. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
- ^ @TGMetsFan98 (March 7, 2023). "The US Space Force and @SLDelta45 have newly allocated three launch pads to four companies: SLC-15 (former Titan pad) to ABL Space Systems; SLC-14 (former Atlas pad) to Stoke Space; SLC-13 to Phantom Space and Vaya Spac. Interestingly, SLC-13 is currently LZ-1 and 2" (Tweet). Retrieved March 28, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Launch Complex 29". Air Force Space & Missile Museum. Archived from the original on 2012-04-07. Retrieved 2011-12-15.