Launch Sites and Lighthouses!

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The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and Launch Complex 21 and 22 – Rockets launches within the view of the Lighthouse.

One of my favorite launch sites to visit is Space Launch Complex 21 and 22! Located just a few hundred feet away from the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, on this particular morning I decided to crawl all over the launch site and capture pictures of the Lighthouse in the background.

The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse peaks out from behind SLC-21/22.

Launch Complex 21-22 History

But first a little history of the launch site. The launch sire was first constructed of two soft launch pads in 1957. Several Several Bull Goose Missiles were launched from the site in 1958.

Below is a great photo of a Bull Goose Launch n 1957 with the Lighthouse in the background. Photo courtesy of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum.

In 1959 the Blockhouse blockhouse, underground utility room and underground cable trenches from the blockhouse to utility room and on to the Pads were completed. And then in 1960, Launch Complex 21 was rebuilt and facilities included two hardened launch pads, Pad 21-1’s southern cell 22-1 the northern cell were completed for Mace missiles.

Below is a launch of a Mace A from the Southern Cell (Pad 21-1) in July of 1960. Photo courtesy of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum.

Launch Complex 21-22 today with the Lighthouse in the background

Mace Winged Cruise Missiles – Complex 21-22

A total of 44 Mace A and Mace B missiles were launched from Launch Complexes 21 and 22. The last Mace B launch from Complex 21 was in July of 1963. The Launch Complex was deactivated in the early 1970’s.

Today the Launch Complex is still in very good shape. On this particular morning, I walked around the launch site and focused on capturing the lighthouse in the background of the launch structure. I also climbed up on the launching ramps and captured some additional photos of the sunrise. Enjoy the photos. More to come on this launch site in a future post.

A view from up on the launch ramp
A view from the launch ramp looking East
A view of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse from the Launch Ramp of Complex 21-22.
The stairs leading p to the launch ramps and the missiles launch tubes
A view looking east between both launch ramps
The view down the stairs that lead to the underground utility room and cable trenches.
The view down the stairs that lead to the underground utility room and cable trenches.

About

About the Author and Photographer: Alden Pitard has over 40 years experience working in the Aerospace Industry at Cape Canaveral, The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Boeing locations throughout the country. He has supported the Space Shuttle Program, International Space Station, 787 Dreamliner and most recently the Artemis Program. During his time at "The Cape" he photographed a majority of the Launch Sites at KSC and Cape Canaveral. As the Space Shuttle program was coming to a close in 2011, the author decided to bike to all the Launch Complexes he could and capture the Space Center and Cape Canaveral as it was - thus "Biking through Space Ruins".