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Author Topic:   Cape Canaveral LC-5/6 explosive safe area
Jim Behling
Member

Posts: 1635
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010

posted 05-09-2021 07:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jim Behling   Click Here to Email Jim Behling     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have discovered a gem. I have always known (since late 80's) that there was an explosive safe area near pads 5/6 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It is the little tab on south east side.

It was referred to me as the Air Force explosive safe area (vs NASA's ESA 60). I don't know why at the time it didn't pique my interest at the time.

Anyways, a few years ago I came across a Launch Operations Center (LOC) document showing facility assignments and I saw that the area was label as "Spin Test Area" and was assigned to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

The lightbulb then came on in my head. This would be the place that JPL spin balanced the tub of solid rocket motors for the upperstages of Jupiter-C, Juno I and Juno II. Some more research confirmed this and also brought to light that some Ranger, Mariner, Lunar Orbiter and early Delta spacecraft were prepared for launch at this facility.

I wrote a draft paper to document my findings to share with people to get comments and to bring this knowledge to light. One of those people is the "new" Air Force Space & Missile Museum director. He was excited to find out this info and wants do more to share it with the public (like placards and signs outside the facility).

I met him at museum a few weeks ago and we walked down the spin test area. It is used mostly for storage now but there are some signs of its past use. I am looking through the museum's archives for more info on it. I hope to find some correspondence on the need/requirements or direction to build the area.

I am expanding my research by including photo and video materials of the early space era and looking for the spin test area. Also as a follow on, I am looking in how this interplays with other early spacecraft facilities such as Hangars O, AA and AE, and the museum's BOMARC launch building (which was a Delta spin test facility for a few years).

There was a report on "Determination of Eligibility for the Launch Complex 5/6 Spin Test Facility," but it missed the info that I found.

Ken Havekotte
Member

Posts: 3230
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 05-10-2021 01:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ken Havekotte   Click Here to Email Ken Havekotte     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Good to know Jim you've been working on a research project about the old spin test facilities here at the Cape. Would like to see the completed findings when available.

The JPL spin test area (also referred to as an an explosive safe area back in the day) was indeed located on the oceanside of Pad 5/6 between Pads 6 and 26B.

As you pointed out, it was an important spin-balance test site for much of the earlier Jupiter/Juno rocket family of upper stage solid rocket motors. It had also been used for some lunar and planetary space probes and other carrier-satellites of upper solid propellant motors.

I had almost forgotten about a terrible accident on April 14, 1964, that killed three technicians of 11 injured by severe burns. As you probably know, it happened inside the old Delta Spin Test Facility, not too far away from Pads 5/6.

During the pre-launch testing of the Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO-B) satellite at CCAFS, which had been attached to its third stage Delta-C booster, the 5'-tall Altair X-248 (A-6) solid propellant rocket motor accidently ignited and burned while inside the building. It launched itself with the satellite attached and hit the roof as the vehicle had torn loose from its alignment fixture. It ricocheted after hitting the roof and ending up in a corner of the DSTF until burning out.

Most of the injured workers were Douglas and Ball Brothers Research employees, but heck, those poor men. Those three that lost their lives died within 2-14 days afterwards. Just goes to show that even "ground space work" in such areas can be dangerous.

Jim Behling
Member

Posts: 1635
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010

posted 05-10-2021 02:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jim Behling   Click Here to Email Jim Behling     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Actually, the accident happened at the "old" Delta Spin Test Facility, building 2841 (Area 39), the Bomarc building at LC-4. The "new" DTSF, Building 67900 (Area 57), on Lighthouse Road wasn't built until 1966.

Ken Havekotte
Member

Posts: 3230
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 05-10-2021 02:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ken Havekotte   Click Here to Email Ken Havekotte     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My sources show the "old Delta Spin Test Facility" is where it happened, however, there was an older "Spacecraft Spin Facility" located near the early first launch complexes of Pads 1-4 as you have indicated. The Air Force reported it was the "first serious accident in 14 years of operations and over 1,400 missile Cape launches" since the missile firing range first opened in 1950.

All times are CT (US)

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