Photo Gallery
ICBM Row – 10 April 1959 – Launch Complex 17
13 March 1967, Launch Complex 17
10 September 1976, Launch Complex 17
Launch pad area, 1992, LaunchComplex 17
Thor Able, Explorer VI, 3 August 1959, Pad 17A
Delta, 6 November 1965, Pad 17A
Mobile service tower, 1992, Pad 17B
Pad and service tower, 22 April 1964, Pad 17B
Thor, 25 January 1957, Pad 17B
Delta II, 12 April 1991, Pad 17B
undated, Launch Complex 17
19 January 1961, Launch Complex 17
19 January 1961, Launch Complex 17
2 February 1962, Launch Complex 17
17 May 1963, Launch Complex 17
8 October 1965, Launch Complex 17
16 June 1966, Launch Complex 17
December 1970, Launch Complex 17
Delta, 12 August 1960, Pad 17A
Delta, 13 August 1964, Pad 17A
Thor Able (Explorer VI), 3 August 1959, Pad 17A
Thor Able (Explorer VI), 7 August 1959, Pad 17A
Thor Able (Explorer VI), 7 August 1959, Pad 17A
Thor Able (Explorer VI), 7 August 1959, Pad 17A
9 May 1958, Pad 17B
22 April 1964, Pad 17B
17 January 1966, Pad 17B
17 January 1966, Pad 17B
Delta, 27 October 1962, Pad 17B
Delta, 26 November 1963, Pad 17B
Delta II, 22 May 1991, Pad 17B
Delta II, 13 May 1992, Pad 17B
Delta II, 19 February 1994, Pad 17B
LC17 blockhouse demolition, 27 December 2013
Memorial
Norfolk Pine tree memorial to Troy D. Bass, placed by Delta II launch team
Troy D. Bass was a pad mechanic with the Delta II launch team
Overview
Systems
- Thor
- Thor Able
- Thor Able Star
- Thor Delta
- Delta A, B, C, D, E, G, L, M, N
- Delta 2000 and 3000
- Delta II
- Delta III
Other Programs
- ASSET (Aero thermodynamic/Elastic Structural Systems Environmental Test
- Echo
- Relay
- Explorer
- OSO (Orbiting Solar Observatories)
- Pioneer
- Tiros
- GOES (Geo-stationary Operational Environmental Satellite)
- INTELSAT
- FLTSATCOM
- NATO
- SKYNET
- TELESAT
- PALAPA
- WESTAR
- SATCOM
- MARISAT
- GPS (Global Positioning System)
- Mars Exploration Rovers – Spirit and Opportunity
- GRAIL
Cost: $3,503,000 each pad
Launch Complex 17 Highlights
- April 1956 – Construction underway
- September 1956 – Air Force accepted Pad 17B
- 29 November 1956 – Construction completed
- 25 January 1957 to 17 December 1959 – Total of 26 Thor launched from Pad 17B
- April 1957 – Air Force accepted Pad 17A
- 30 August 1957 to 28 January 1957 – Total of 5 Thor were launched from Pad 17A
- 23 April 1958 to 1 April 1960 – Total of seven were launched from Pad 17A. Payloads were Explorer, Transit, Pioneer and Tiros
- 17 August 1958 to 8 November 1958 – Thor Able I series launched from Pad 17A. Three were launched with Pioneer payloads
- 23 January 1959 to 11 June 1959 – Total of 6 Thor Able II launched from Pad 17A
- 14 April 1960 to 10 May 1962 – Total of 10 Thor Able Star launched from Pad 17B
- 10 July 1962 – First Delta launched from Pad 17B
- 10 July 1962 to 7 September 1967 – Total of 27 Delta B, C, E and G launches from Pad 17B
- 31 October 1962 – One Thor Able Star launched from Pad 17A
- Early 1960’s – Modified Pad 17A to support Thor Delta
- 13 May 1960 – First Delta launched Pad 17A
- 13 May 1960 to 27 August 1969 – Total of 44 Delta A, B, C, D, E, G, L, M and N launches from Pad 17A
- 18 September 1963 to 23 February 1965 – Total of 6 DSV-2G ASSET (Aerothermodynamics Elastic Structural Systems Environmental Test) launched
- April 1965 – Air Force transferred launch complex to NASA
- October 1968 – Complex returned to Air Force to support Delta II launches
- 22 September 1972 to 12 June 1990 – Total of 41 Delta 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 launched
- 26 August 1975 to 26 February 1987 – Total of 34 Delta 2000 and 3000 from Pad 17A
- 14 February 1989 – First Delta II launched from Pad 17A
- Launch complex modifications to support Delta II included raising the Mobile Service Tower from 112′ to 126′, structural repairs and systems replacement
- 14 February 1990 – First Delta II launch was from Pad 17B
- 12 January 1997 – Blockhouse closed after Delta II failure from Pad 17A. Launch operations moved to Delta Launch Operations Control Facility.
- 1997 – Pad 17B modified for Delta III
- 26 August 1998 to 23 August 2000 – Total of 3 Delta III launched
- 10 September 2011 – Final mission from Launch Complex 17, GRAIL lunar mission
- December 2013 – Blockhouse demolished
Related Pages:
More Cape Canaveral Facilities