Cape Canaveral LC13
Launch Complex 13 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Pads: 1. Latitude: 28.4859 N. Longitude: 80.5446 W. Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A, Atlas Able, Atlas B, Atlas D, Atlas E, Atlas F, Atlas LV-3A / Agena D, SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D.

The complex was built for the Atlas ballistic missile program. Launch sites 11 to 14 were accepted between August 1957 and mid-April 1958. Complex 13 supported its first Atlas launch on 2 August 1958. After its final Atlas missile launch on 13 February 1962, Complex 13 was converted into an Atlas /Agena launch complex. Three pairs of VELA satellites were launched from Complex 13 before the site was turned over to NASA in 1966. Following a series of civilian Atlas /Agena missions, Complex 13 was returned to the Air Force in March 1968. The site supported 11 Atlas /Agena space flights for the Defense Department between 6 August 1968 and 7 April 1978. In all, Complex 13 supported 51 ATLAS and Atlas /Agena launches. Complex 13 was deactivated in April 1978. Complex 14 and the gantry on Complex 13 were declared national historic landmarks in April 1984.

  • 1958 August 2 22:16 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas B. Atlas B 4B Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). Second full-powered flight of USAF Atlas ICBM traveled 2,500 miles with radio-inertial guidance, fully successful.
  • 1958 September 18 21:27 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas B. Propulsion Failure. Atlas B 6B Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
  • 1959 April 14 21:46 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Propellant Feed Failure. Atlas D 3D Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi).
  • 1959 June 6 17:39 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Propellant Feed Failure. Atlas D 5D Apogee: 80 km (49 mi).
  • 1959 August 11 18:01 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 14D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
  • 1959 September 17 02:09 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Hydraulics Failure. Atlas D 17D Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
  • 1959 October 10 03:10 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 22D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
  • 1959 November 4 21:37 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 28D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
  • 1959 November 24 19:48 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 15D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
  • 1959 December 9 00:10 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 31D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
  • 1959 December 19 00:48 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 40D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi). Atlas ICBM made second successful 6,325-mile flight at AMR.
  • 1960 January 7 01:40 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 43D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi). 43D achieved a 6300 NM (7200 SM) flight from AMR with enough residual fuel for an additional 2000 miles
  • 1960 January 27 01:31 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 44D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
  • 1960 February 12 04:11 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Atlas D 49D Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
  • 1960 February 15 - Pioneer (P 31) Launch Vehicle: Atlas Able. Vehicle exploded in static firing.. Atlas D / Able-5
  • 1960 March 11 00:36 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Propulsion Failure. Atlas D 51D
  • 1960 October 11 19:15 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Failure. Atlas E 3E Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). First E missile flown with MA-3 engine, unsuccessful
  • 1960 November 30 01:12 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Hydraulics Failure. Atlas E 4E Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
  • 1961 January 24 21:55 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Flight Control Failure. Atlas E 8E Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
  • 1961 February 24 18:29 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Atlas E 9E Apogee: 1,500 km (900 mi). First successful Atlas E flight.
  • 1961 March 14 04:17 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Propellant Utilization System Failure. Atlas E 13E Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
  • 1961 March 25 01:49 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Electrical Failure. Atlas E 16E Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
  • 1961 May 26 02:26 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Atlas E 18E Apogee: 1,500 km (900 mi).
  • 1961 July 7 04:51 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Atlas E 22E Apogee: 1,500 km (900 mi). Successful Atlas E flight, 9054 miles, from AMR to Indian Ocean (with GE Mark 3 nose cone)
  • 1961 August 9 04:31 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. Atlas F 2F Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi). First F flight, at AMR), successful
  • 1961 September 9 01:42 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Propulsion. Atlas E 26E Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
  • 1961 October 5 13:42 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Atlas E 30E Apogee: 1,500 km (900 mi). Range: 16,700 km (10,300 mi). USAF Atlas fired 9,000 miles for Atlantic Missile Range into Indian Ocean, carrying dummy nuclear warhead and a data capsule which was recovered.
  • 1961 November 10 14:55 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Sustainer engine failed 15 seconds after launch.. Atlas E 32E Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). USAF Atlas with capsule containing squirrel monkey destroyed by range safety officer at Atlantic Missile Range when main sustainer engine failed 15 seconds after launch.
  • 1961 December 1 20:40 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Atlas E 35E Apogee: 1,600 km (900 mi).
  • 1961 December 20 03:32 - Research and development/Pod Test/Chemical release mission Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Atlas E 36E Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
  • 1962 February 13 20:55 - Research and development launch Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. Atlas E 40E Apogee: 1,600 km (900 mi). Last Atlas E R&D flight.
  • 1963 October 17 02:37 - Vela 2 Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena D. Atlas Agena D 197D / Agena D 1801 Apogee: 116,582 km (72,440 mi). Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).
  • 1964 July 17 08:22 - Vela 3 Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena D. Atlas Agena D 216D / Agena D 1802 Apogee: 104,101 km (64,685 mi). Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).
  • 1964 November 5 19:22 - Mariner 3 Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena D. Launch fairing failure. Atlas Agena D 289D (AA11) / Agena D 6931 (AA11) Mars probe; launch fairing failure prevented Mars flyby. Solar Orbit (Heliocentric). Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
  • 1965 July 20 08:27 - Vela 5 Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena D. Atlas Agena D 225D / Agena D 1803 Apogee: 115,839 km (71,978 mi). Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).
  • 1966 August 10 19:26 - Lunar Orbiter 1 Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. SLV-3 Agena D 5801 (AA17) / Agena D 6630 Lunar Orbiter I was launched from Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 13 at 3:26 p.m. EDT August 10 to photograph possible Apollo landing sites from lunar orbit. The Atlas-Agena D launch vehicle injected the spacecraft into its planned 90-hour trajectory to the moon. A midcourse correction maneuver was made at 8 p.m. the next day; a planned second midcourse maneuver was not necessary. A faultless deboost maneuver on August 14 achieved the desired initial elliptic orbit around the moon, and one week later the spacecraft was commanded to make a transfer maneuver to place it in a final close-in elliptic orbit of the moon.

    During the spacecraft's stay in the final close-in orbit, the gravitational fields of the earth and the moon were expected to influence the orbital elements. The influence was verified by spacecraft tracking data, which showed that the perilune altitude varied with time. From an initial perilune altitude of 58 kilometers, the perilune decreased to 49 kilometers. At this time an orbit adjustment maneuver began an increase in the altitude, which was expected to reach a maximum after three months and then begin to decrease again. The spacecraft was expected to impact on the lunar surface about six months after the orbit adjustment.

    During the photo-acquisition phase of the flight, August 18 to 29, Lunar Orbiter I photographed the 9 selected primary potential Apollo landing sites, including the one in which Surveyor I landed; 7 other potential Apollo landing sites; the east limb of the moon; and 11 areas on the far side of the moon. Lunar Orbiter I also took photos of the earth, giving man the first view of the earth from the vicinity of the moon (this particular view has been widely publicized). A total of 207 frames (sets of medium- and high-resolution pictures) were taken, 38 while the spacecraft was in initial orbit, the remainder while it was in the final close-in orbit. Lunar Orbiter I achieved its mission objectives, and, with the exception of the high-resolution camera, the performance of the photo subsystem and other spacecraft subsystems was outstanding. At the completion of the photo readouts, the spacecraft had responded to about 5,000 discrete commands from the earth and had made about 700 maneuvers.

    Photographs obtained during the mission were assessed and screened by representatives of the Lunar Orbiter Project Office, U.S. Geological Survey, DOD mapping agencies, MSC, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The spacecraft was deliberately crashed into moon after the mission was completed.

  • 1966 November 6 23:21 - Lunar Orbiter 2 Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. SLV-3 Agena D 5802 (AA18) / Agena D 6631 (AA18) Lunar Orbiter II was launched at 6:21 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 13 at Cape Kennedy, to photograph possible landing sites on the moon for the Apollo program. The Atlas-Agena D booster placed the spacecraft in an earth-parking orbit and, after a 14-minute coast, injected it into its 94-hour trajectory toward the moon. A midcourse correction maneuver on November 8 increased the velocity from 3,051 to 3,133 kilometers per hour. At that time the spacecraft was 265,485 kilometers from the earth.

    The spacecraft executed a deboost maneuver at 3:26 p.m., November 10, while 352,370 kilometers from the earth and 1,260 kilometers from the moon and traveling at a speed of 5,028 kilometers per hour. The maneuver permitted the lunar gravitational field to pull the spacecraft into the planned initial orbit around the moon. On November 15, a micrometeoroid hit was detected by one of the 20 thin-walled pressurized sensors.

    The spacecraft was transferred into its final close-in orbit around the moon at 5:58 p.m. November 15 and the photo-acquisition phase of Lunar Orbiter II's mission began November 18. Thirteen selected primary potential landing sites and a number of secondary sites were to be photographed. By the morning of November 25, the spacecraft had taken 208 of the 211 photographs planned and pictures of all 13 selected potential landing sites. It also made 205 attitude change maneuvers and responded to 2,421 commands.

    The status report of the Lunar Orbiter II mission as of November 28 indicated that the first phase of the photographic mission was completed when the final photo was taken on the afternoon of November 25. On November 26, the developing web was cut with a hot wire in response to a command from the earth. Failure to achieve the cut would have prevented the final readout of all 211 photos. Readout began immediately after the cut was made. One day early, December 6, the readout terminated when a transmitter failed, and three medium-resolution and two high-resolution photos of primary site 1 were lost. Full low-resolution coverage of the site had been provided, however, and other data continued to be transmitted. Three meteoroid hits had been detected.

  • 1967 February 5 01:17 - Lunar Orbiter 3 Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. SLV-3 Agena D 5803 (AA20) / Agena D 6632 (AA20) Crashed into Moon; returned 182 photos of lunar surface. Selenocentric orbit. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
  • 1967 May 4 22:25 - Lunar Orbiter 4 Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. SLV-3 Agena D 5804 (AA22) / Agena D 6633 (AA22) Returned 163 photos of lunar surface before impacting Moon. Selenocentric orbit. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
  • 1967 August 1 22:33 - Lunar Orbiter 5 Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. SLV-3 Agena D 5805 (AA24) / Agena D 6634 (AA24) Lunar Orbiter V was launched from the Eastern Test Range at 6:33 p.m. EDT August 1. The Deep Space Net Tracking Station at Woomera, Australia, acquired the spacecraft about 50 minutes after liftoff. Signals indicated that all systems were performing normally and that temperatures were within acceptable limits. At 12:48 p.m. EDT August 5, Lunar Orbiter V executed a deboost maneuver that placed it in orbit around the moon. The spacecraft took its first photograph of the moon at 7:22 a.m. EDT August 6. Before it landed on the lunar surface on January 31, 1968, Lunar Orbiter V had photographed 23 previously unphotographed areas of the moon's far side, the first photo of the full earth, 36 sites of scientific interest, and 5 Apollo sites for a total of 425 photos.
  • 1968 March 4 13:06 - OGO 5 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5602A (AA26) / Agena D 6503 (AA26) Apogee: 111,034 km (68,993 mi). OGO 5 carried 25 experiments, 17 of which were particle studies, and two were magnetic field studies. In addition, there was one each of the following types of experiments: radio astronomy, UV spectrum, Lyman-alpha, solar X ray, plasma waves, and electric field. By April 1971, spacecraft perigee had increased to 26,400 km and inclination had increased to 54 deg. The spacecraft attitude control failed on August 6, 1971, after 41 months of normal operation. The spacecraft was placed in a standby status on October 8, 1971. Four experiments (Meyer, Blamont, Thomas, and Simpson) were reactivated for the period from June 1 to July 13, 1972, after which all operational support terminated. Spacecraft orbit parameters changed significantly over the spacecraft life.
  • 1968 August 6 11:16 - Canyon 1 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5501A / Agena D 2801 Apogee: 39,860 km (24,760 mi). First launch in a communications intelligence program operated by the USAF within the National Reconnaissance Office, on behalf of the National Security Agency. The first generation series, CANYON, was based on the Agena vehicle. The Agena D remained attached to the spacecraft. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean. Last known longitude (30 December 1968) 98.50 deg W drifting at 0.166 deg E per day.
  • 1969 April 13 02:24 - Canyon 2 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5502A / Agena D 2802 Apogee: 39,270 km (24,400 mi). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean. Last known longitude (31 December 1969) 99.24 deg W drifting at 2.246 deg W per day.
  • 1970 June 19 11:37 - Rhyolite 1 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5201A / Agena D 1551 Apogee: 33,685 km (20,930 mi). First launch of Rhyolite geostationary ELINT satellite. Reportedly left in transfer orbit; other sources indicate a successful mission. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean.
  • 1970 September 1 01:00 - Canyon 3 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5203A / Agena D 2803 Apogee: 39,855 km (24,764 mi). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean. Last known longitude (31 December 1970) 99.01 deg W drifting at 1.490 deg W per day.
  • 1971 December 4 22:30 - AFP-827 / Canyon 4 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. First stage failure.. SLV-3A Agena D 5503A / Agena D 2804
  • 1972 December 20 22:20 - Canyon 5 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5204A / Agena D A 2805 Apogee: 40,728 km (25,307 mi). First launch of improved ELINT satellite. In comparison to earlier Canyon ELINT satellites, Improved Canyon had a similar but heavier payload which separated from the Agena D final stage.
  • 1973 March 6 09:30 - Rhyolite 2 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5202A / Agena D A 1552 Apogee: 35,855 km (22,279 mi). Second launch of Rhyolite geostationary ELINT satellite.
  • 1975 June 18 09:00 - Canyon 6 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5506A / Agena D A 2806 Apogee: 40,800 km (25,300 mi).
  • 1977 May 23 18:13 - Canyon 7 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5507A / Agena D A 2807 Apogee: 35,855 km (22,279 mi).
  • 1977 December 11 22:45 - Rhyolite 3 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5504A / Agena D A 1553 Apogee: 35,855 km (22,279 mi). Third launch of Rhyolite geostationary ELINT satellite. Code name changed to Aquacade after Rhyolite name came out in trial of spy Boyce.
  • 1978 April 7 00:45 - Rhyolite 4 Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. SLV-3A Agena D 5505A / Agena D A 1554 Apogee: 35,855 km (22,279 mi). Fourth and final launch of Rhyolite geostationary ELINT satellite. Code name changed to Aquacade after Rhyolite name came out in trial of spy Boyce.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Contact us with any corrections, additions, or comments.
Conditions for use of drawings, pictures, or other materials from this site..
To contact astronauts or cosmonauts.

© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2007 except where otherwise noted.

 
Encyclopedia Astronautica
topic index
0 - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - Ra - Re - Sa - Sf - Sp - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z