Cape Canaveral LC3
Site · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
X-17, V-2, Polaris, Bomarc launch complex. This complex was built to support the Bomarc interceptor missile program, but also supported Bumper, Jason, Redstone, X-17 and Polaris ballistic missile operations. The Air Force accepted Complex 3 in November 1951. The location had already supported the Cape's first major launch - Bumper 8 - on 24 July 1950. Following the last Bomarc launch in April 1960, some Bomarc support facilities were converted into a medical support area for Project Mercury. Later the complex supported tethered aerostat programs from 1983 through 1989.
Related
- Country
- USA
- Engines
- Polaris FTV-4
- Launch Vehicles
- Bumper-WAC, Bomarc, X-17 QTV, X-17 HTV, X-17, Polaris FTV-5, Polaris FTV-3, Polaris FTV-1, Polaris TV
- Launch Sites
- Cape Canaveral
Chronology
77 events
1950 July 24
14:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. LV Family: V-2. Launch Vehicle: Bumper-WAC. FAILURE: Failure.- Test mission - .
Nation: USA.
Agency: GE,
US Army.
Apogee: 20 km (12 mi).
Bumper No. 8, a German V-2 with a 320 kg Army-JPL Wac Corporal, was fired from the Long-Range Proving Ground at Cape Canaveral at a very low angle of attack. The first-stage V-2 climbed 16 km before it exploded. The second-stage Corporal separated successfully, however, and traveled another 24 km. This was the first missile launch from Cape Canaveral.
1950 July 29
11:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. LV Family: V-2. Launch Vehicle: Bumper-WAC.- Test mission - .
Nation: USA.
Agency: GE,
US Army.
Apogee: 50 km (31 mi).
Bumper No. 7 was the second missile launch from Cape Canaveral. This was to be a maximum range test of a two-stage vehicle, to study the problems in staging. The launch was delayed because of moisture in the vehicle. But when finally launched, the WAC achieved the highest sustained speed in the atmosphere to that date (Mach 9/2500 m/s) and 35.2 km altitude before impacting 305 km downrange.
1953 January 23
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc. FAILURE: Failure.1953 June 10
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc. FAILURE: Failure.1953 July 27
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc. FAILURE: Failure.1953 September 4
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc. FAILURE: Failure.1954 August 5
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc. FAILURE: Failure.1954 October 25
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1954 November 24
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1955 January 19
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1955 February 24
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1955 March 3
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1955 May 5
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc. FAILURE: Failure.1955 May 23
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. LV Family: X-17. Launch Vehicle: X-17 QTV.1955 May 23
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. LV Family: X-17. Launch Vehicle: X-17 QTV.1955 June 13
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. LV Family: X-17. Launch Vehicle: X-17 HTV. FAILURE: Failure.1955 June 23
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. LV Family: X-17. Launch Vehicle: X-17 HTV.1955 June 30
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. LV Family: X-17. Launch Vehicle: X-17 HTV.1955 July 14
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. LV Family: X-17. Launch Vehicle: X-17 HTV.1955 July 27
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc. FAILURE: Failure.1955 August 25
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1955 August 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17.1955 September 23
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17. FAILURE: Failure.1955 September 29
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1955 November 17
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1955 November 30
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1955 December 1
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17.1956 January 20
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17.1956 March 5
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17.1956 March 15
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1956 April 14
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1956 April 17
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17.1956 June 19
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1956 June 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17.- Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 140 km (80 mi). USAF X-17 flight test program started at Cape Canaveral to study reentry problems by simulating reentry velocities and conditions with three-stage solid-fuel Lockheed X-17. A total of 26 X-17 flights were conducted until March 1957..
1956 July 13
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Pad: LC3/4?. Launch Vehicle: Bomarc.1956 July 17
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17.- Re-entry vehicle test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 142 km (88 mi). The first Lockheed X-17 reentry test vehicle (R-2) to complete a successful flight was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. .
1956 July 27
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17. FAILURE: Failure.1956 August 18
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17. FAILURE: Failure.1956 August 23
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC3. Launch Vehicle: X-17.- 4203-5 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 142 km (88 mi). A five-stage, solid-fuel rocket test vehicle, the world's first, was launched to a speed of mach 15 from Wallops Island, Va. by the NACA Langley Aeronautical Laboratory's Pilotless Aircraft Research Division..