Complex 17, Pads B and A

Complex 17 is one of the few active launch complexes at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This two-pad launch complex was built in 1956 for the Thor IRBM program. The first launch (unfortunately, not a successful one) took place on January 25, 1957 from Pad B. Pad A supported its first launch on August 30, 1957. Throughout the late 1950's and early 1960's, Complex 17 supported launches of the Thor and Thor-Able missiles. In the late 1950's, the Complex also started supporting launches of the Delta rocket. Complex 17 was transferred to NASA in 1965, then back to the Air Force in 1988.

Delta rockets launched from Complex 17 have carried many important satellites into orbit, including ECHO, GOES, PIONEER, TELSTAR, TIROS, and a host of government and military communications satellites. Complex 17 currently supports Delta II Medium Launch Vehicles, used to launch both NAVSTAR II GPS satellites for the U.S. Air Force, and commercial payloads for civilian customers. 

The small white rocket off in the distance (in the lower right of the picture, to the right of the gantry at Pad A) is the Juno rocket that we saw on the Complex 6 launch pad.

	See an aerial view of the Complex
	See a Thor IRBM
	Go back to the Complex 6 launch pad

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