- Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 31
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Launch Complex 31 Launch site Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Location 28.4524962°N
80.5561244&°WShort name LC-31 Operator US Air Force Launch pad(s) 2 (incl. silo) Launch history Status Inactive First launch February 1, 1960 Associated rockets Minuteman
PershingLaunch Complex 31 (LC-31) is a former launch complex at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
It was built in 1959 with LC-32 for the U.S. Air Force to conduct test launches of the first LGM-30 Minuteman missiles. LC-31 was built next to Navaho complex LC-9, requiring LC-10 to be demolished. These complexes were the first to feature dual launch pads, one of which was subterranean. LC 31 consisted of a blockhouse, static launch pad (31A) and missile silo (31B). The bee-hive-shaped blockhouse is 210 yards from the static pad and 330 yards from the silo.
The Air Force launched four Minuteman missiles from 31A; and 35 from the silo, 31B, between February 1, 1960 and September 23, 1969. Pad 31A was used later by the U.S. Army to test launch ten MGM-31 Pershing missiles.
Remains of Challenger lowered into silo at LC-31
The service tower has since been removed and silo filled in, although recovered debris from the space shuttle orbiter Challenger were buried in the silo.[1][2]
Notes
- ^ "Shuttle Debris Moved for Burial". Los Angeles Times. Jan 8, 1987. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58204420.html?dids=58204420:58204420&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jan+08%2C+1987&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Shuttle+Debris+Moved+for+Burial&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
- ^ Ritter, Jim (1986-11-30). "Challenger debris to be buried". Chicago Sun-Times. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB36D36758501CF&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM.
References
External links
Coordinates: 28°27′09″N 80°33′22″W / 28.4524962°N 80.5561244°W
Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island launch sites Atlantic Missile Range drop zone • Grand Turk Island drop zone • Mobile Launch Area • SLBM Launch Area • Patrick AFB • Shuttle Landing Facility • Cape Canaveral AFS Skid StripCategories:- Buildings and structures in Brevard County, Florida
- Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
- Space stubs
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