Photo Gallery
13 March 1967 – Launch Complex 18
6 June 1969, Launch Complex 18
Blockhouse, 19 January 1961, Launch Complex 18
Pad area and service tower, 10 January 1961, Pad 18A
Vanguard on pad, 7 May 1958, Pad 18A
Vanguard at ignition, 6 December 1957, Pad 18A
Service tower, 19 January 1961, Pad 18B
Thor in service tower, 30 December 1958, Pad 18B
Blue Scout Jr., 1963, Pad 18B
Overview
Systems
- Viking
- Vanguard
- Thor
- Blue Scout Jr.
- Blue Scout I
- Blue Scout II
- Scout
Other Programs
- OAR
- HETS
Cost: $3,592,000 each pad
Launch Complex 18 Highlights
- 1955 – Launch complex construction underway
- 5 November 1956 – U.S. Navy accepted Pad 18A
- 8 December 1956 – First Vanguard launched
- 8 December 1956 to 18 September 1959 – Launch Complex supported Navy and NASA’s Vanguard launches
- Total 14 Vanguard launches from Pad 18A. The first two Vanguards were Viking 13 (Vanguard TV-0), which fired only the 1st stage, and Viking 14 (Vanguard TV-1), which fired the 1st stage and 2nd stage solid motor
- 23 October 1957 – First full Vanguard launch was TV-2
- 21 September 1960 – 9 June 1965 – Total of 10 NASA Blue Scout Jr. launched for U.S. Air Force
- June 1963 – Combined Systems Test Building and Assembly and Checkout Building completed
- June 1963 – Modifications completed on Pad 18A for the Blue Scout Jr.
- 4 June 1958 to 29 February 1958 – Total of 17 Thor launched from Pad 18B. It remained active until the launch rate of the Thor was reduced enough for Launch Complex 17 to carry the load
- 7 January 1961 to 12 April 1962 – Pad 18B supported 6 Blue Scout I, Blue Scout II and Scout launches,
- 1961 – Following 5 launches, operations on Launch Complex 18 were scaled back drastically
- 1 February 1967 – Launch complex deactivated
- The launch complex was later used in processing of de-mineralized water for the Cape. Water is used on the Navy submarines for reactor water.
