Launch Complex 46 (Previously 43 & 45)

 missile launch facility  Add category

Four launch areas (Launch Complexes A, B, C, D) and bunkers located on the East side of Camera Road, first used for Matador missiles in 1951. Launch Complexes A, B, C, and D were demolished to make room for Launch Complex 45. LC-45 was built in 1976 to launch Roland mobile missiles, but the project was terminated before any Roland missiles could be launched from the complex. In the 80's, the Launch Complex was redesigned and expanded. The complex number was changed to 46, and the expansion of the complex destroyed Launch Complex 43 which had been used to launch over 4,680 weather/sounding rockets from 1962 to 1984. Launch Complex 46 was used for Trident missile tests from 1987 to 1989. In 1998, an Athena II rocket launched the Lunar Prospector probe into orbit around the moon from LC-46.

Launch Complex 46

First launch: 15 January 1987

Trident D-5: 19 Launches
Athena I: 1 Launch
Athena II: 1 Launch
Minotaur IV: 1 Launch