Launch Complex 18 – Biking Through Space Ruins – My journey through old abandoned Launch Complexes located at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

As we were nearing the end of The Space Shuttle program, I set a goal to ride my mountain bike to as many of the old launch complexes as possible before massive layoffs began. Most of these Launch Complexes are located on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. I would usually park my car at the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and start out from there in search of the old Launch Complexes.

On this particular day, June 3rd 2011, I planned on riding to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Museum which contains Launch Complexes 5 and 6 along with Launch Complex 26.

The route to the Air Force Museum takes me by Launch Complexes 9 and 10 as well as 31 and 32. As I bike pass these launch complexes, I take a turn south that heads towards the Air Force Museum. On this particular day as I’m heading south towards the museum, I noticed a road heading East and decided to turn down it and explore where it takes me.

After a few minutes I came out to an opening which looked like another abandoned Launch Complex. I had not noticed this launch complex location on maps I would use before riding out to explore. There was not the usual Launch Complex signage which appears at the entrance to many of the other launch complexes.

Launch Complex 18 was completed in 1955 and turned over to the Navy in support of the Project Vanguard. The Vanguard Program was developed to send the first artificial satellite into low Earth orbit using the Vanguard rocket.

On 17 March 1958, Vanguard 1 became the second artificial satellite successfully placed in a low Earth orbit by the United States. It was also the first solar-powered satellite.

As I approached the Launch Complex I noticed the Blockhouse in the distance and that the Launch Service Towers were no longer standing, and later came to find out the launch complex was deactivated in 1967. The exact date of the demolition of the service towers is unknown but there were still several buildings located at the site.

Launch Complex 18 supported several different launch vehicles, including the Thor launch vehicle, as the U.S. Air Force sought to deploy an intermediate range ballistic missile. A total of 17 Thor launched from Pad 18B. The program was eventually was moved over to Launch Complex 17.

Another program supported at Launch Complex 18 was the Blue Scout Program, the Scout program was born in 1958 as a method was sought to both perform high altitude research and carry small payloads into space.

Exploring Launch Complex 18 on Bike

After I reached the Complex 18 Blockhouse I glanced to the South and noticed the Launch Service Towers of Complex 17. These two Launch Complexes are extremely close to each other and the final launch from LC-17 was scheduled for September of that year in 2011.

Enjoy these photos of Launch Complex 18 and views of LC-17.

Views of Launch Complex 17 from LC-18 – June 2011.

I”ll have more on Launch Complex 17 in a future post. Along with extensive coverage of the Air Force Museum and the launch complexes located there.