Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 14

Coordinates: 28°29′28″N 80°32′49″W / 28.49111°N 80.54694°W / 28.49111; -80.54694
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Launch Complex 14
Nova
Retired: SM-65 Atlas, Atlas-Able, Atlas-Agena, Mercury-Atlas

Launch Complex 14 (LC-14) is a

Friendship 7 flight aboard which John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth.[1][2]

LC-14 is currently leased to Stoke Space for their Nova launch vehicle.

History

Atlas and Mercury

LC-14 was the first Atlas pad in operation and hosted the initial

Big Joe Mercury test in September. As the designated Mercury-Atlas facility, LC-14 was thus the only Atlas pad having the infrastructure needed for crewed launches. The first MIDAS satellites, one Atlas-Able
launch, and a few more ICBM tests were conducted from LC-14 before it was completely turned over to NASA.

LC-14 is most well known as the launch site for

Agena Target Vehicles for Project Gemini
.

Following decommissioning and abandonment as an active launch site, LC-14 slowly fell into decay. The proximity to salty ocean air created an ideal environment for corrosion of metal components, and the complex's red metal gantry structures were dismantled for safety reasons during the 1970s.[4]

Restoration

In 1997, the

Brown and Root
, the restoration utilized no military construction or military operations and maintenance funding and was affected strictly with military, DoD civilian, NASA civilian, DoD contractor and NASA contractor volunteers. Several months later, the exterior and interior of the original blockhouse and its nearby astronaut parking area had been restored, with the blockhouse converted into a conference facility for military, NASA and contractor use.

Present at the dedication in May 1998 were former Mercury astronauts Colonel Gordon Cooper, USAF (Ret.) and Commander Scott Carpenter, USN (Ret.); Mrs. Betty Grissom, widow of Lt Col Gus Grissom, USAF; and comedian Bill Dana, known for his "José Jiménez, the reluctant astronaut" character. Appearing periodically on The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1960s, the character caught on as a subject of humor among the seven Mercury astronauts.[5][6]

Among other Mercury astronauts, former U.S. Senator (and Colonel, USMC (Ret.)) John Glenn could not attend due to preparations for his then-pending Space Shuttle flight (STS-95), and Captain Wally Schirra, USN (Ret.) could not attend due to a scheduling conflict. Deke Slayton had died in 1993, while Rear Admiral Alan Shepard, USN (Ret.) extended his regrets due to illness. Largely unknown at the time was that Shepard was suffering from terminal leukemia, and he died shortly after the dedication.

In addition to the total interior renovation, the blockhouse contains historical documents, photos and memorabilia from Project Mercury, as well as photos of the blockhouse area before, during and after the restoration. Future improvements to the pad itself are also planned as time and contributory funding permits.

The entrance road to LC-14 is marked by several memorials and signs commemorating Project Mercury and the four of six crewed Mercury missions launched there. This includes a large sculpture of the Project Mercury symbol constructed of titanium, under which is buried a time capsule containing technical documents of the Mercury program. The time capsule is scheduled to be opened in 2464, 500 years after the official conclusion of the program.[7] With its withdrawal from operational status, a memorial marker in granite was also placed at the beginning of the concrete ramp that leads to LC-14's launch pad and two outdoor kiosks were erected to contain historical photos.

Use by Stoke Space

On March 7, 2023, Stoke Space was allocated the launch complex for their upcoming fully reusable Nova launch vehicle.[8] Space Launch Delta 45 of the U.S. Space Force made the decision to optimize the use of excess launch property and the Eastern Range along Florida's coastline.[9]

Launch history

LC-29


Statistics

1
2
3
4
5
6
'57
1960
1965

List of launches

All missile tests and MIDAS launches operated by the United States Air Force. All other flights operated by NASA.

No. Date Time (UTC) Launch Vehicle Configuration Mission/Payload Result Remarks
1 11 June 1957 19:37 SM-65 Atlas Atlas A Suborbital test Failure First launch from LC-14, maiden flight of the SM-65 Atlas, and first flight of the Atlas rocket family. Premature engine shutdown 50 seconds into flight activated range safety protocols.
2 25 September 1957 19:57 SM-65 Atlas Atlas A Suborbital test Failure Premature engine shutdown 63 seconds into flight activated range safety protocols.
3 17 December 1957 17:39 SM-65 Atlas Atlas A Suborbital test Success First successful launch from LC-14.
4 7 February 1958 19:37 SM-65 Atlas Atlas A Suborbital test Failure Vernier engine failure led to engine shutdown and tumble 164 seconds into flight, leading to range safety protocols.
5 5 April 1958 17:01 SM-65 Atlas Atlas A Suborbital test Failure Turbopump failed 105 seconds into flight. Range safety not activated, and missile impacted the ocean in one piece. Final Atlas A launch from LC-14.
6 14 September 1958 05:24 SM-65 Atlas Atlas B Suborbital test Success First Atlas B launch from LC-14.
7 29 November 1958 02:27 SM-65 Atlas Atlas B Suborbital test Success
8 16 January 1959 04:00 SM-65 Atlas Atlas B Suborbital test Failure Unknown control difficulties led to engine shutdown 121 seconds into flight. Final Atlas B launch from LC-14.
9 19 May 1959 04:30 SM-65 Atlas Atlas D Suborbital test Failure First Atlas D launch from LC-14. Missile damaged at liftoff by hold-down arm, leading to pressurization failure 64 seconds into flight and range safety protocols.
10 9 September 1959 08:19 Mercury-Atlas Atlas-10D Big Joe 1 Partial failure Suborbital launch. First civilian launch and first Project Mercury flight from LC-14. Carried a boilerplate Mercury capsule. Faulty electrical contacts led to booster jettison failure and limitation of range. Capsule successfully recovered.
11 26 November 1959 07:26 Atlas-Able Atlas-20D / Able Pioneer P-3 Failure Part of the Pioneer program, aimed at exploring the Moon. First orbital attempt from LC-14 and only one so far beyond low Earth orbit. Only Atlas-Able flight from LC-14. Payload fairing separated 45 seconds into flight, leading to vehicle breakup.
12 26 February 1960 17:25 Atlas-Agena Atlas LV-3 / Agena-A MIDAS 1 Failure Part of the Missile Defense Alarm System series of early warning satellites. Maiden flight of the Atlas-Agena. Staging issue damaged RM-81 Agena, causing failure to achieve orbit.
13 24 May 1960 17:36 Atlas-Agena Atlas LV-3 / Agena-A MIDAS 2 Success Part of the Missile Defense Alarm System series of early warning satellites. First successful Atlas-Agena flight, and first successful orbital launch from LC-14.
14 22 June 1960 14:49 SM-65 Atlas Atlas D Suborbital test Success
15 29 July 1960 13:13 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 1 Failure Suborbital launch. First flight of an operational Mercury capsule, designed to test reentry. Contained no launch escape system. Rocket suffered structural failure during max q 58 seconds into launch.
16 19 September 1960 18:31 SM-65 Atlas Atlas D Suborbital test Success
17 22 October 1960 05:13 SM-65 Atlas Atlas D Suborbital test Success Final military launch from LC-14.
18 21 February 1961 14:12 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 2 Success Suborbital launch. Reflight of MA-1's objectives, but with added launch escape tower.
19 25 April 1961 16:15 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 3 Failure First orbital attempt for a Mercury capsule. Contained crewman simulator. Guidance failure led to breakup 43 seconds after launch. Launch escape system activated and capsule was successfully recovered.
20 13 September 1961 14:04 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 4 Success Reflight of MA-3. Contained crewman simulator. Completed one orbit around Earth before reentering and splashing down. First orbital flight for Project Mercury.
21 29 November 1961 15:07 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 5 Success Carried chimpanzee Enos into LEO, becoming the first live animal from the United States to reach orbit. Completed two orbits before reentering.
22 20 February 1962 14:47 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 6
(Friendship 7) 		Success First crewed orbital flight from the United States, first crewed launch on an Atlas, and first crewed launch from LC-14. Carried astronaut John Glenn into three orbits before successfully returning to Earth. Third crewed launch of Project Mercury, following Mercury-Redstone 3 and MR-4 the previous year.
23 24 May 1962 12:45 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 7
(Aurora 7) 		Success Second of four crewed orbital flights of Mercury-Atlas. Carried astronaut Scott Carpenter into orbit. Human error in retrograde burn led to off-course splashdown. Originally slated to carry astronaut Deke Slayton before atrial fibrillation diagnosis grounded him.
24 3 October 1962 12:15 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 8
(Sigma 7) 		Success Third of four crewed flights of Mercury-Atlas. Carried astronaut Wally Schirra into orbit. Completed six orbits before reentering.
25 15 May 1963 13:04 Mercury-Atlas
Mercury
 Mercury-Atlas 9
(Faith 7) 		Success Fourth and final of four crewed flights of Mercury-Atlas. Carried astronaut Gordon Cooper into orbit, completing 22 orbits over 34 hours before returning to Earth. Last crewed launch of an Atlas rocket until Boeing CFT in 2024, and most recent crewed launch from LC-14. Last flight of Project Mercury and most recent solo American orbital mission.
26 25 October 1965 15:00 Atlas-Agena Atlas SLV-3 / Agena-D Gemini 6 ATV Failure First launch of the Agena Target Vehicle, tasked with docking with Gemini 6. First flight from LC-14 for Project Gemini. Vehicle breakup following ignition of Agena six minutes into flight. Gemini 6 mission reorganized into Gemini 6A to rendezvous with Gemini 7.
27 16 March 1966 15:00 Atlas-Agena Atlas SLV-3 / Agena-D Gemini 8 ATV Success ATV launch, tasked with docking with Gemini 8. First successful launch of the ATV, and participated in first ever spacecraft docking. Mission cut short and aborted after thruster failure on Gemini caused spacecraft to tumble. Was later visited by Gemini 10.
28 17 May 1966 15:15 Atlas-Agena Atlas SLV-3 / Agena-D Gemini 9 ATV Failure ATV launch, tasked with docking with
ATDA
.
29 1 June 1966 15:00 Atlas SLV-3 Atlas SLV-3 / ATDA
ATDA
 Partial failure Only launch of ATDA, tasked with docking with Gemini 9A. Fairing failed to jettison, leading to docking being aborted during rendezvous and mission to be cut early.
30 18 July 1966 20:39 Atlas-Agena Atlas SLV-3 / Agena-D Gemini 10 ATV Success ATV launch, tasked with docking with Gemini 10. First fully successful ATV mission, and performed first burn of a spacecraft while docked.
31 12 September 1966 13:05 Atlas-Agena Atlas SLV-3 / Agena-D Gemini 11 ATV Success ATV launch, tasked with docking with Gemini 11. Was target in first direct-ascent rendezvous. Participated in first test of artificial gravity in space, using a tether between it and the Gemini spacecraft. Set a non-Apollo crewed altitude record of 1,374 km that lasted until Polaris Dawn in 2024.
32 11 November 1966 19:07 Atlas-Agena Atlas SLV-3 / Agena-D Gemini 12 ATV Success ATV launch, tasked with docking with Gemini 12. Orbital boost was cancelled due to engine problem after insertion into LEO. Final flight of the ATV, and final mission of Project Gemini. Most recent launch from LC-14.
  • Sign
    Sign
  • Mercury 7 plaque at the Mercury Monument
    Mercury 7
    plaque at the Mercury Monument
  • John Glenn plaque
    John Glenn plaque
  • Mercury 7 Monument in 1964 with Pad 14 in the background
    Mercury 7 Monument in 1964 with Pad 14 in the background
  • Mercury memorial at the road leading to CCAFS LC-14
    Mercury memorial at the road leading to CCAFS LC-14
  • LC-14 with Mercury-Atlas 9
    LC-14 with Mercury-Atlas 9
  • LC-14 in 1966, launching the ATV for Gemini 12
    LC-14 in 1966, launching the ATV for Gemini 12
  • O'Malley's Guiding Light at the entrance
    O'Malley's Guiding Light at the entrance

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum". ccspacemuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  2. ^ "LAUNCH COMPLEX 14 FACT SHEET | Spaceline". Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  3. ^ "Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum". ccspacemuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
  4. ^ "National Park Services - Man in Space Sites - Launch Complex 14". National Park Service. November 29, 2000. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  5. ^ Dedication of Complex 14 Event Program, May 10, 1998, 45th Space Wing, Cape Canaveral AS, Florida
  6. ^ Chronology of KSC and KSC Related Events for 1998, NASA TM-1999-208551, Elaine E. Liston, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, October 1999
  7. ^ "Mercury 7 Time Capsule – Cape Canaveral Air Force Station – Time Capsules on". Waymarking.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  8. ^ "Stoke Space has been allocated historic Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral". stokespace.com. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  9. ^ Raub, Dakota (2023-05-15). "Eastern Range Launch Pad Allocations Drive Innovation and Development". Space Launch Delta 45. Archived from the original on 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2024-04-29.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
.

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