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Launch Complex 39B

USA / Florida / Titusville /
 NASA, interesting place, rocket launch pad

First used in May, 1969 for the Apollo 10 lunar dress-rehersal mission (the LM "Snoopy" descended to 50,000 ft. before returning to the CSM "Charlie Brown"), LC-39B was kept as a backup launchpad during the manned lunar landings in the case the nearby LC-39A facility was destroyed. LC-39B was also used for all three manned Skylab missions and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project before being converted for Space Shuttle use.

Its first mission in the Shuttle era was that for the January 1986 flight STS-51-L, in which the Challenger orbiter was destroyed 73 seconds into the flight due to a failure in a Solid Rocket Booster O-ring seal. Last used in December 2006 for the STS-116 mission to the International Space Station, LC-39B was deactivated on January 1, 2007 and conversion was begun by NASA to support the launch of the Ares I "Stick" rocket and its Orion spacecraft payload. While conversion was underway, LC-39B hosted its final Space Shuttle during the STS-125 mission when Shuttle Endeavour was placed on LC-39B in the event NASA needed to launch the STS-400 rescue mission.

Following STS-125, contractors completed their conversion of LC-39B for the test flight of Ares I-X, which was successfully completed on October 28, 2009. Operating in a "clean pad" approach similar to that of the Apollo Program, LC-39B saw its FSS structure demolished and much of its Shuttle-era infrastructure removed, with the exception of the LH2, LOX, and water tanks (used for the sound suppression system) remaining.

As of February 2011, NASA is offering the pad and facilities to private companies to fly missions for the commercial space market.

First Launch: 18 May 1969
Last Launch: 28 October 2009

Saturn V: 1 Launch
Saturn IB: 4 Launches
Space Shuttle: 53 Launches
Ares I-X: 1 Launch

www.teslarati.com/nasa-sls-moon-rocket-artemis-1-first-...
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   28°37'37"N   80°37'15"W

Comments

  • timkozusko (guest)
    Although not visible in this photo, three 600ft. lighting towers have now been added in support of the Constellation prgram.
  • ronsmytheiii
    Not sure who can change the label, but Pad B is no longer active, and the Fixed service structure and rotating service structure are being demolished.
This article was last modified 3 years ago