Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 16
Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 16 (LC -16 ) is a disused start ramp of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Merritt Iceland, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA.
History
Originally, the launch pad was built together with LC -15, LC -19 and LC -20 for Titan missions of the U.S. Air Force in early 1959. Thus on December 12, 1959 launched a Titan I with this number. But even this first launch failed because the rocket exploded several meters above the launch site.
The next year, 1960, started another five Titan I, with only two missions were successful. Then they used LC -16 for the next few years only for the Titan II, the first of seven Titan II launch was a success; the rocket flew 8000 km far across the Atlantic. Until May 29, 1962 took place the next Titan II launch. There were three failures.
After exam the Titan range of this ramp, gave the Air Force the complex in January 1965 to NASA. So she was able to perform in the next few years this number tests such as the engine of the Apollo service module. After the tests, they delivered the complex back to the U.S. Air Force.
From 1974 to 1988, the launch pad of the U.S. Army was used for development flights of the Pershing medium-range missile. By decided in the context of the INF Treaty withdrawal of Pershing missiles LC -16 was decommissioned in 1988.
The complex
The launch site was very similar to his " brothers " to the tag for the Pershing missiles in 1959: There was a strong tower and a mobile service tower, which was swung back before the start. However, the special at the launch site was the " Suiting Trailer " in which the astronauts start suit was created so that they could start the neighboring LC -19.