Launch Complex 17

Launch Complex 17

Explore around the historic Space Launch Complex 17 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida with this 360-degree panoramic virtual tour of the abandoned property. Do you like urban exploring? Here is a map with tons of GPS locations for you to get out and explore.

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About the launch complex

With construction starting in 1957, launch complex 17A and 17B cost the American tax payers roughly $7,000,000. Launch complex 17 was built to help develop and testing of the Air Force Thor Intermediate Ballistic Missile. The first launch at the newly built launch pads was on January 25, 1957 on pad 17B and then on August 30, 1957, pad 17A had its first launch. There is a single blockhouse for the two launch pads, each with its own mobile launcher.

Throughout the years, both launch pads launched various rockets. Launch pad 17A had a total of 161 launches and launched the following vehicles – Thor, Thor-Able 0, Thor-Able I, Thor-Able II, Thor-Able III, Thor-Able IV, Delta, Thor-Able Star, Delta B, Delta D, Delta C, Delta E, Delta G, Delta M, Delta N, Delta L, Delta M6, Delta 2000 Series, Delta 3000 Series, Delta II 6000 Series, Delta II 7000 Series. Launch pad 17B had a total of 164 launches, with the following vehicles, Thor, Thor-Able Star, Delta, Delta A, Delta B, Delta C, Delta E, Delta G, Delta N, Delta 1000 Series, Delta 2000 Series, Delta 3000 Series, Delta 4000 Series, Delta II 6000 Series, Delta II 7000 Series, Delta III 8000 Series.

On January 17th, 1997 a Delta II had a catastrophic failure a few seconds after lift off raining debris all around the launch complex and the Air Force Station. Following the failed launch attempt, the pads were a few more times before being abandoned. The last launch at pad 17A was on August 17, 2009 while launch pad 17B was used up until September 10, 2011 with the launch of the GRAIL spacecraft.

The launch complex was then abandoned until both of the pads were demolished on July 12, 2018 so the land could be repurposed by a company called Moon Express. View more abandoned launch pads such as launch complex 14, launch complex 34 or launch complex 16 that were photographed in 360-degree spherical imagery. View on Google Maps. You can also check out our top abandoned places in Florida page.

An equirectangular projection of a spherical 360-degree panoramic image was captured at the historical Space Launch Complex 17 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Image date: 2015 Credit: Jason Perrone

Do you have 360-degree panoramic images captured in an abandoned location? Send your images to Abandonedin360@gmail.com. If you choose to go out and do some urban exploring in your town, here are some safety tips before you head out on your adventure.

Equipment used to capture the 360-degree panoramic images:

• Canon DSLR camera
• Canon 8-15mm fisheye
• Manfrotto tripod
• Custom rotating tripod head

If you want to start shooting 360-degree panoramic images, you might want to look onto one-click 360-degree action cameras.

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