News Delta II towers at Cape Canaveral toppled

[IronRain]

Towers at historic Florida launch pad toppled

The U.S. Air Force on Thursday demolished towers once used to assemble Delta 2 rockets at Cape Canaveral for missions to Mars, four dozen flights to deploy the GPS navigation network, and numerous launches with scientific, commercial and military payloads.

With the push of a button from Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, commander of the Air Force’s 45th Space Wing, the demolition occurred just after 7 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT) Thursday at the Complex 17 launch pad, where twin mobile gantries and fixed towers were toppled by explosives.

Located near the southern perimeter of the sprawling Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Complex 17 is one of the Florida spaceport’s oldest launch pads, where 325 Thor and Delta boosters departed on missile tests and satellite deliveries from 1957 through 2011.

Cape Canaveral’s LC-17 demolished after decades of service

Cape Canaveral’s LC-17 has been leveled after the demolition of its two service towers on Thursday. The pad last saw action with the retiring Delta II rocket but has a history that ranges back into the 1950s. It will become the new site for commercial operator Moon Express.
Launch Complex 17, as it was then designated, was built between August and December 1956 to accommodate tests of the Thor missile.

 

[Linguofreak]

Has the sound in the video been edited, or are those towers much closer to the camera than they look (no delay between the charges visibly firing and the sound from them firing)?

 

[Zeehond]

Has the sound in the video been edited, or are those towers much closer to the camera than they look (no delay between the charges visibly firing and the sound from them firing)?

No editing, you can see the plant in the foreground moving with the audible booms. The loudest audible boom is a while later than the big explosion on the left tower.

 

[boogabooga]

I still remember the GRAIL launch. Time flies.

SLC-17 made for some great BrianJ add-ons.

 

[Notebook]

BBC have covered this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_an...0020/nasa-launch-towers-demolished-in-florida

 

[Andy44]

Shame to see the Delta II retiring. It's been a good launch vehicle.

 

[BrianJ]

Feels like losing a couple of old friends! Will miss the DeltaII - one more launch from Vandenberg to go, I think.