Controlled implosion brings down historic Cape Canaveral launch-pad.
They supported some of the US’ first satellite launches, helped send probes to other planets and to establish the GPS satellite constellation so embedded in everyday life.
But earlier today, the twin towers at Launch Complex 17 at Cape Canaveral collapsed in a cloud of dust, brought down by controlled explosion.
Complex 17 was activated in 1957 for test launches of Thor ballistic missile, and was later known for space missions by Delta rockets. In all, it hosted 325 launches.
Most recently, the site was home for more than 20 years to United Launch Alliance’s workhorse Delta II program, which last flew from the Cape nearly seven years ago, sending a pair of gravity mapping probes to the moon for NASA on 10 September 2011.
Launch Complex 17 and neighbouring Complex 18 now are occupied by Moon Express, a private company developing small lunar landers that NASA may use to send science instruments to the lunar surface in the next few years.
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