Launch Complex 39A
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| Launch Complex 39A | |
|---|---|
| Name | Launch Complex 39A |
| Caption | Aerial view of the pad with a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon in 2020. |
| Location | Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida |
| Operator | NASA (1967–2014), SpaceX (2014–present) |
| Total launches | >150 |
| Status | Active |
Launch Complex 39A is a historic launch site at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. Originally built for the Apollo program's Saturn V rocket, it was later modified to support the Space Shuttle program. Since 2014, the pad has been leased and operated by SpaceX, which uses it for launches of its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
History and construction
The site was conceived as part of the massive Apollo program infrastructure needed to send astronauts to the Moon. Construction began in the early 1960s under the direction of NASA and its lead center, the Marshall Space Flight Center. The complex was designed to accommodate the immense Saturn V, the most powerful rocket ever built, requiring a massive Mobile Launcher Platform and a Crawler-Transporter to move the assembled vehicle from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad. The original Fixed Service Structure and Flame Trench were engineered to withstand the extreme forces of a Saturn V launch.
Apollo program operations
The pad hosted its first launch, the uncrewed Apollo 4 mission, in November 1967. It was the departure point for all the crewed lunar missions, including the historic Apollo 11 in July 1969, which achieved the first human landing on the Moon. Other significant launches from here included the ill-fated Apollo 13 and the final lunar mission, Apollo 17. The pad also supported the launch of Skylab, America's first space station, in 1973 using a modified Saturn V.
Space Shuttle program operations
Following the end of the Apollo program, the pad underwent extensive modifications for the Space Shuttle. The Fixed Service Structure was adapted, and a new Rotating Service Structure was added to allow access to the Space Shuttle orbiter. The first Space Shuttle launch from here was STS-1, the maiden flight of Space Shuttle Columbia, in April 1981. The pad supported numerous historic missions, including the launches of the Hubble Space Telescope, interplanetary probes like Galileo and Magellan, and assembly flights for the International Space Station. It was also the site of the final Space Shuttle mission, STS-135, flown by Space Shuttle Atlantis in July 2011.
Commercial use and modifications
After the retirement of the Space Shuttle, NASA selected SpaceX as the commercial tenant for the pad in 2014. SpaceX embarked on a major renovation, demolishing much of the old shuttle-era structures to build new facilities tailored for its rockets. Key additions included a horizontal integration hangar, new LOX and RP-1 storage tanks, and a transporter-erector strongback system. These modifications enabled the pad to support the Falcon 9 and the heavier Falcon Heavy, which had its maiden flight from here in February 2018. The pad is also configured for crewed missions under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
Infrastructure and facilities
The core infrastructure includes a massive reinforced concrete launch mount and an extensive flame deflector system that channels exhaust into a large flame trench. The pad is serviced by extensive propellant storage facilities for Liquid oxygen, RP-1, and liquid methane for future vehicles. The site features a modern Launch Control Center, payload processing facilities, and the iconic access arm used by astronauts boarding the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The crawlerway, originally used by the Crawler-Transporter, remains a critical pathway for moving rockets.
Notable launches and missions
Beyond the Apollo and Shuttle milestones, the pad has been the origin for many historic commercial and scientific missions. These include the first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station under the CRS-1 contract, the first re-flight of a landed orbital-class booster, and the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission, which restored American crewed launch capability in 2020. It has also launched major national security payloads for the United States Space Force, interplanetary missions like the DART spacecraft, and the powerful James Webb Space Telescope.