 |
| Successful launch of Atlas D Missile 56D on May 20, 1960 from Launch Complex 12 (LC-12) at Cape Canaveral. |
(Reference from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 12)
1960-05-20 USA Atlas-D Launch
The first launch from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 12 (LC-12) took place on January 10, 1958, with Atlas 10A. In the latter half of that year, a larger umbilical service tower was constructed in preparation for the C series Atlas tests, which were conducted from December 1958 to August 1959. On September 24, 1959, the first Atlas-Able, designated 9C, exploded during a static firing test at LC-12 when a turbopump on one of the engines failed to initiate a complete engine shutdown. The malfunctioning turbopump continued to allow oxidizer to flow, fueling the fire beneath the vehicle. About a minute later, the rocket experienced a structural failure, collapsed, and exploded. The explosion knocked over the entire service tower and both umbilical towers, causing the concrete launch stand to cave in. Due to the extensive damage to LC-12, it did not host another launch until Missile 56D on May 20, 1960. The large service tower was not rebuilt after the Atlas 9C explosion, and the site later hosted additional ICBM tests, along with the second and third Atlas Able probes.
In 1961, LC-12 was modified to support the Atlas-Agena rocket. The first Atlas-Agena launch from LC-12 occurred in August 1961. On April 23, 1962, Atlas-Agena B 133D launched Ranger 4, marking the first American spacecraft to reach the Moon's surface, where it made a hard landing at an impact speed of 9,617 kilometers per hour (5,976 mph).
(Reference from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 12)
(Reference from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 12)
