Cape Canaveral Launch Complex Revived
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (Space Florida PR) – Space Florida, the Sunshine State’s aerospace and spaceport development authority, today announced that its Cape Canaveral launch facility at LC-46 will soon be roaring back to life as a multiuser launchpad for customers employing smaller rocket systems.
Space Florida has already started renovating Launch Complex 46 in preparation for several customers lined up to use the historic facility located at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Recently, Space Florida completed installation of a state-of-the-art communication and data system.
Orbital ATK is the first company with plans to fly from the refurbished launchpad. Orbital ATK was recently awarded a $23.6M contract from the U.S. Air Force’s Operationally Responsive Space Office to launch the ORS-5 SensorSat spacecraft. Orbital ATK announced that it will use the Minotaur IV rocket launching from LC-46 in Mid-2017 for the job. This will be the first launch from LC-46 since Lockheed Martin’s Athena I blasted off on January 27, 1999, carrying Taiwan’s first satellite, ROCSAT-1.
“Launching from the Cape adds another capability to our program,” said Rich Straka, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK’s Launch Vehicles Division.
NASA is also set to use the refurbished facilities to launch the Orion Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle Ascent Abort 2 test flight (AA‑2) from LC-46 in 2019. At least one other launch provider is considering using LC-46 for it’s family of small rockets.
“Space Florida is very pleased to welcome Minotaur and NASA back to LC-46,” said Space Florida President and CEO Frank DiBello. “Their return represents a new dawn of activity for this storied launchpad and the rise of the Cape Canaveral Spaceport as true multi-user spaceport for government and commercial users alike.”
About Space Florida: Space Florida was created to strengthen Florida’s position as the global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration and commerce. As Florida’s aerospace and spaceport development authority, we are committed to attracting and expanding the next generation of space industry businesses. With its highly trained workforce, proven infrastructure and unparalleled record of achievement, Florida is the ideal location for aerospace businesses to thrive – and Space Florida is the perfect partner to help them succeed. www.spaceflorida.gov
4 responses to “Cape Canaveral Launch Complex Revived”
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Great. Now if O-ATK can get their 1-5 segment booster going from there. They tested the SLS SRM in the horizontal, so assembly in the same way and a strong back to erect it. No fuel lines. AC for the payload and power and data is about it.
I hope someone launches a rocket using a rail and fins to spin it up for stability and use a timer to fire the 2nd, third stage. Once in orbit weights on a cable can be let out to stop the spin. Strypi uses this method, but there is probably a computer.
Alright. So all these companies are lining up to launch at the cape. Great. It was designed to handle numerous pads. However, the slowdowns are always 2 things; the weather and the range configuration. You can not control the weather , though spacex and iatk are smart to have secondary launch sites.
But, the range can be improved so that it is capable of quick turnovers.
Why is space Florida or CONgress not doing something about it?
I’ve been reading complaints about both the Eastern and Western test ranges for over 10 years. Their systems are too old, too expensive to operate and maintain, too difficult and slow to reconfigure between launches, etc. In all that time, little to nothing has been done about it. There is talk about using transmitters on the rockets to downlink their GPS coordinates to ground stations instead of radars but I don’t know how much has been done about actually implementing that.
That is just it. SOMETHING has to change NOW.
If Kennedy is going to remain as the premiere launch site, then the Florida group, SpaceX, ULA, Feds, DOD, etc are going to have to do SOMETHING.