Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 21
Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 21 (LC- 21) is a disused rocket launch site of the U.S. Air Force with two launch pads, which are housed in halls, and is part of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It is located at Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA.
History
This unusual complex was built together with the LC -22 in 1956. Both launch pads were planned for the winged Goose rocket the Air Force. Two years later, on July 24, 1958 launched the first Goose rocket from here. This was followed up in December 1958 three more flights.
Then they built around the halls, so that the new Mace missiles could start. Until July 17, 1963 by found here 37 Mace - offs instead. In the entire history of the launch pad there was only one failure. On January 12, 1962 started even two missiles from this complex.
The complex
The complex consists of two start halls. In both there are rails that run from the floor to the several -meter-high openings through which launched the missiles. They were not at the start vertically but at an angle of about 20 ° ( like a plane taking off ). The rockets are put at the bottom from the end of the rails, so they started with start-up, they could get on the rails through the opening.
While the rocket ignited and thus was still in the hall, led to the combustion gases through a huge exhaust pipe to the outside, which was located at the lower end of the rails.