Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17

Space Launch Complex 17, previously designated Launch Complex 17, was a launch site at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida used for Thor and Delta launch vehicles launches between 1958 and 2011.
Originally built in 1956, SLC-17 features two expendable launch vehicle launch pads, SLC-17A and SLC-17B. The pads were operated by the 45th Space Wing and have supported more than 300 Department of Defense, NASA and commercial missile and rocket launches.

History

SLC-17 was built in 1956 by the United States Air Force for use with the PGM-17 Thor missile, the first operational ballistic missile in the arsenal of the United States. It was initially designed for testing suborbital launches of the Thor, in accordance to the IRBM's planned stationing in the United Kingdom as part of Project Emily. Pad 17A supported its first Thor missile launch on 3 August 1957, and Pad 17B supported its first Thor launch on 25 January 1957. As the Thor got wound down from missile use due to the advent of longer-range ICBMs, the site was upgraded in the early 1960s to support a variety of space-oriented launch vehicles derived from the basic Thor booster. Initially starting with the Thor-Able in 1958, these Thor-based rockets came to be called the Delta family of launch vehicles.
Thirty-five early Delta rocket missions were launched from Complex 17 between the beginning of 1960 and the end of 1965. The Air Force transferred Launch Complex 17A to NASA in 1965, but the site was returned to the military in 1988 to support McDonnell Douglas's Delta II program.
As Delta II launches continued over the next decades, Pad 17B was modified in 1997 to support a new, more powerful launch vehicle, the Delta III, which made its maiden flight from the complex on 26 August 1998. The launch ended in failure, as did a second launch the next year. After a third launch on 23 August 2000 placed a mass simulator into a lower than planned orbit, the program was abandoned.
Among the major NASA missions launched from the complex were the Explorer and Pioneer space probes, all of the Orbiting Solar Observatories, the Solar Maximum Mission, biological satellites, the International Cometary Explorer, the TIROS and GOES meteorology satellites, and the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
Following the last military launch, in August 2009, SLC-17A was withdrawn from use, and LC-17B was transferred to NASA for two remaining launches. On 10 September 2011, a Delta II 7920H-10C made the final launch from SLC-17B, carrying NASA's GRAIL spacecraft. All remaining Delta II launches were made from SLC-2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California until its ultimate retirement in 2018.
At 11:00 UTC on 12 July 2018, both launch towers had been demolished via controlled demolition to make way for Moon Express to build and test its lunar lander.
As of August 2024, the United States Space Force plans to fully demolish SLC-17 and the neighboring LC-18 in favor of extending Lighthouse Road and reconnecting its two separate sections back together.

Launch statistics

SLC-17A

Thor and early Delta

Thor, Thor-Able, and Thor-Ablestar launches operated by the United States Air Force. Thor-Delta launches operated by NASA.

Later Delta I

All launches operated by NASA.

No.	Date	Time	Launch vehicle	Configuration	Payload	Result	Remarks
68	27 August 1975	01:42	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	Symphonie-2		First Delta launch from LC-17A using a numerical designation.
69	13 December 1975	01:56	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	Satcom-1
70	26 March 1976	22:42	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	Satcom-2
71	10 June 1976	00:09	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	Marisat-2
72	8 July 1976	23:31	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	Palapa-A1
73	14 October 1976	22:44	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	Marisat-3
74	10 March 1977	23:16	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	NATO 3B
75	13 September 1977	23:21	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	OTS-1		Rupture in casing of a solid rocket booster lead to loss of launch vehicle 52 seconds after launch.
76	23 November 1977	01:35	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	Meteosat-1
77	26 January 1978	17:36	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	International Ultraviolet Explorer		Part of the Explorer program, a space telescope designed to conduct ultraviolet astronomy. Collaboration between NASA, ESA, and SERC.
78	11 May 1978	22:59	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	OTS-2
79	14 July 1978	10:43	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	ESA-GEOS-2
80	16 December 1978	00:21	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	Anik-B1
81	10 August 1979	00:20	Delta 2000	Thor-Delta 2914	Westar-3
82	7 December 1979	01:35	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	Satcom-3
83	14 February 1980	15:57	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3910	Solar Maximum Mission		Heliophysics satellite designed to investigate solar phenomena such as solar flares. Was later visited by Space Shuttle Challenger during STS-41-C in order to have its altitude control system repaired.
84	9 September 1980	22:27	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	GOES-4		Launched as GOES-D. Part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites system of satellites.
85	15 November 1980	22:49	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3910	SBS-1
86	22 May 1981	22:29	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	GOES-5		Launched as GOES-E. Part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites system of satellites.
87	24 September 1981	23:09	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3910	SBS-2
88	20 November 1981	01:37	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3910	Satcom 3R
89	16 January 1982	01:54	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3910	Satcom 4
90	26 February 1982	00:04	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3910	Westar 4
91	10 April 1982	06:47	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3910	Insat 1A
92	9 June 1982	00:24	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3910	Westar 5
93	28 April 1983	22:26	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	GOES-6		Launched as GOES-F. Part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites system of satellites.
94	28 July 1983	22:49	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3920	Telstar-3A
95	22 September 1983	22:16	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3920	Galaxy 2
96	16 August 1984	14:30	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3924	AMPTE-CCE		Part of the Explorer program, aiming to study earth's magnetosphere.
97	14 November 1984	00:34	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	NATO 3D
98	3 May 1986	22:18	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	GOES-G		Part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites system of satellites. First stage electric failure lead to loss of control and destruction of rocket 90 seconds after launch.
99	26 February 1987	23:05	Delta 3000	Thor-Delta 3914	GOES-7		Launched as GOES-H. Part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites system of satellites. Final Delta I launch from LC-17A.

Delta II

Launches before August 1997 operated by McDonnell Douglas. Launches between then and 2007 operated by Boeing. Launches since 2007 operated by United Launch Alliance.

No.	Date	Time	Launch vehicle	Configuration	Payload	Result	Remarks
100	14 February 1989	18:30	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	USA-35		Part of the Global Positioning System. Maiden flight of the Delta II. First GPS Block II launch. First GPS launch from a Delta rocket and first GPS launch from Cape Canaveral.
101	10 June 1989	22:30	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	USA-38		Part of the Global Positioning System.
102	18 August 1989	05:58	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	USA-42		Part of the Global Positioning System.
103	21 October 1989	09:31	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	USA-47		Part of the Global Positioning System.
104	24 January 1990	22:55	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	USA-50		Part of the Global Positioning System.
105	26 March 1990	02:45	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	USA-54		Part of the Global Positioning System.
106	1 June 1990	21:48	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6920-10	ROSAT		Space telescope designed to conduct x-ray astronomy. Collaboration between NASA and DLR.
107	2 August 1990	05:39	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	USA-63		Part of the Global Positioning System.
108	1 October 1990	21:56	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	USA-64		Part of the Global Positioning System.
109	26 November 1990	21:39	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-66		Part of the Global Positioning System. First Delta II 7000 launch.
110	4 July 1991	02:32	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-71		Part of the Global Positioning System.
111	7 June 1992	16:40	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6920-10	Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer		Part of the Explorer program, a space telescope designed at conducting ultraviolet astronomy.
112	24 July 1992	14:26	Delta II	Thor-Delta 6925	Geotail		Satellite designed to study Earth's magnetosphere, a collaboration between NASA and ISAS. Final launch of the Delta II 6000.
113	9 September 1992	08:57	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-84		Part of the Global Positioning System.
114	22 November 1992	23:54	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-85		Part of the Global Positioning System.
115	3 February 1993	02:55	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-88		Part of the Global Positioning System.
116	30 March 1993	03:09	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-90		Part of the Global Positioning System.
117	13 May 1993	00:07	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-91		Part of the Global Positioning System.
118	26 June 1993	13:27	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-92		Part of the Global Positioning System.
119	8 December 1993	00:48	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	NATO 4B
120	10 March 1994	03:40	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-100		Part of the Global Positioning System.
121	30 December 1995	13:48	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7920-10	Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer		Part of the Explorer program, designed to conduct x-ray astronomy through tracking timing from sources.
122	16 July 1996	00:50	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-126		Part of the Global Positioning System.
123	12 September 1996	08:49	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-128		Part of the Global Positioning System.
124	7 November 1996	17:00	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	Mars Global Surveyor		First launch of the Mars Exploration Program, designed to study the titular planet and characteristics like geology and climate from orbit. First Delta II launch to another planet, and first successful American mission to Mars since Viking 2 in 1975.
125	17 January 1997	16:28	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	GPS IIR-1		Part of the Global Positioning System. Burnthrough in one of the solid rocket boosters activated range safety protocols 13 seconds after launch, damaging and scattering debris across the pad, nearby cars, and the adjacent Air Force Space and Missile Museum.
126	20 May 1997	22:39	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	Thor II
127	23 July 1997	03:43	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-132		Part of the Global Positioning System. Last Delta II flight operated by McDonnell Douglas prior to their merger with Boeing.
128	25 August 1997	14:39	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7920-8	Advanced Composition Explorer		Part of the Explorer program, designed to study the solar wind and interplanetary medium from a Lissajous orbit.
129	6 November 1997	00:30	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-134		Part of the Global Positioning System.
130	14 February 1998	14:34	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7420-10C	Globalstar-1
131	24 April 1998	22:38	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7420-10C	Globalstar-2
132	10 June 1998	00:35	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	Thor III
133	24 October 1998	12:08	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7326	Deep Space 1		First launch of the New Millennium Program, designed to demonstrate new technologies through exploring 9969 Braille and 19P/Borrelly. First NASA spacecraft to use ion propulsion.
134	11 December 1998	18:45	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7425	Mars Climate Orbiter		Part of the Mars Exploration Program, designed to study the titular planet and characteristics such as its climate and atmosphere from orbit. Launch was a success, but a measurement mismatch between NASA's SI units and manufacturer Lockheed Martin's US customary resulted in the spacecraft burning up in the atmosphere during orbit insertion.
135	7 February 1999	21:04	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7426	Stardust		Part of the Discovery Program, designed to return samples from the coma of comet 81P/Wild. First unmanned sample-return mission from NASA.
136	24 June 1999	15:44	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7320-10	Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer		Part of the Explorer program, a space telescope designed to conduct ultraviolet astronomy, specifically with detecting deuterium in the early universe.
137	25 July 1999	07:46	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7420-10C	Globalstar-5
138	7 October 1999	12:51	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-145		Part of the Global Positioning System.
139	11 May 2000	01:48	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-150		Part of the Global Positioning System.
140	16 July 2000	09:17	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-151		Part of the Global Positioning System.
141	10 November 2000	17:14	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-154		Part of the Global Positioning System.
142	30 January 2001	07:55	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-156		Part of the Global Positioning System.
143	7 April 2001	15:02	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	2001 Mars Odyssey		Part of the Mars Exploration Program, designed to study the titular planet from orbit. Set record for longest operational spacecraft around another celestial body.
144	8 August 2001	16:13	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7326-9.5	Genesis		Part of the Discovery Program, designed to return samples of the solar wind. Launch and mission was a success, but drogue parachute failure led to return capsule crashing onto surface, with most samples getting contaminated.
145	3 July 2002	06:47	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7425	CONTOUR		Part of the Discovery Program, designed to explore comets such as 2P/Encke, 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, and 6P/d'Arrest. Launch was a success, but spacecraft contact was lost a month into mission.
146	31 March 2003	22:09	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-168		Part of the Global Positioning System.
147	10 June 2003	15:58	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	Mars Exploration Rover-A Spirit		First of two launches of the Mars Exploration Rover mission, two rovers designed to explore the titular planet's surface for extended periods of time.
148	21 December 2003	08:05	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-175		Part of the Global Positioning System.
149	20 November 2004	17:16	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7320-10C	Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory		Part of the Explorer program, a space telescope designed to conduct gamma-ray astronomy and to study gamma-ray bursts.
150	26 September 2005	03:37	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-183		Part of the Global Positioning System.
151	21 June 2006	22:15	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	Microsatellite Technology Experiment		Two spacecraft and an experimental upper stage, also known as USA-187, USA-188, and USA-189 respectively. Collaboration between the Navy, Air Force, and DARPA.
152	25 September 2006	18:50	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-190		Part of the Global Positioning System.
153	17 November 2006	19:12	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-192		Part of the Global Positioning System. Final Delta II launch conduction by Boeing before transfer to United Launch Alliance.
154	4 August 2007	09:26	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	Phoenix		Part of the Mars Exploration Program, designed to explore the titular planet and the soil, climate, and potential water in its polar regions.
155	17 October 2007	12:23	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-196		Part of the Global Positioning System.
156	20 December 2007	20:04	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-199		Part of the Global Positioning System.
157	15 March 2008	06:10	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-201		Part of the Global Positioning System.
158	24 March 2009	08:34	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925-9.5	USA-203		Part of the Global Positioning System.
160	17 August 2009	10:35	Delta II	Thor-Delta 7925	USA-206		Part of the Global Positioning System. Final Delta and Thor launch from SLC-17A. Most recent launch from SLC-17A.