Historic tower at Launch Complex 13 toppled (Forwarded)

Air Force Space Command News Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 09, 2005

Story ID 07-247

Historic tower at Launch Complex 13 toppled
By Ken Warren, 45th Space Wing Public Affairs

CAPE CANAVERAL AFS, Fla. -- What took years to build took seconds to
knock down Aug. 6 when 171 pounds of strategically placed explosives
were detonated, toppling the historic 179-foot mobile service tower at
Launch Complex 13 here.

The 1,300-ton structure was used to launch Atlas/Agena space launch
vehicles in the 1960s and 1970s. The most famous of those launches were
five Lunar Orbiter missions for NASA in 1966 and 1967. Those missions
photographed about 99 percent of the moon's surface and helped pave the
way to men landing on the moon in 1969.

There were 51 launches of Atlas and Atlas/Agena vehicles from Complex 13
from 1958 to 1978. The last launch from Complex 13 occurred April 6,
1978, and the pad was abandoned.

Salt air and the elements whittled away at the complex and tower. Pieces
of the rusty structure, along with toxic paint chips, fell to the
ground, creating safety and environmental hazards.

"The demolition of this tower demonstrates our commitment to safety and
a healthy environment," said Teresa Fiorillo, 45th Civil Engineer
Squadron project officer. "Yet, it's kind of sad to see this historic
structure go."

Col. Mark Owen, 45th Space Wing commander, echoed her sentiment.

"This is where we developed the Atlas intercontinental ballistic
missile. This is where we sent the launches that NASA used to help map
the moon. It is key to our history. So it is kind of like seeing an old
soldier go. It is sad," he said.

Dick Ruffe, of Titusville, is another old soldier and retired Atlas
systems engineer. He helped build Complex 13, was involved with many of
the flights from there and witnessed the demolition.

"We accomplished a lot at Complex 13," he said. "Hard to imagine it --
but it's all gone in a puff of smoke. It came down a lot faster than it
went up."

The fallen tower will be cut up and transported to the Cape Canaveral
AFS landfill where it will be buried in a special cell. Once the launch
site is cleaned up in six to eight months, it will be available for
industrial re-use.

IMAGE CAPTIONS:

[Image 1:
http://www.peterson.af.mil/hqafspc/N...0explosion.jpg
(67KB)]
The historic 179-foot mobile service tower at Launch Complex 13 was
demolished here Aug. 6. There were 51 launches of Atlas and Atlas/Agena
vehicles from this tower from 1958 to 1978, including five Lunar Orbiter
missions that photographed about 99 percent of the moon’s surface –
paving the way for the first manned moon landing. (U.S. Air Force photo)

[Image 2:
http://www.af.mil/media/photodb/phot...-0000S-002.jpg (500KB)]
A 1,300-ton structure here is demolished Aug. 6. The 179-foot mobile
service tower was used to launch 51 Atlas/Agena space launch vehicles in
the 1960s and 1970s. (U.S. Air Force photo)

[Image 3:
http://www.peterson.af.mil/hqafspc/N...demolition.jpg
(96KB)]
Workers from Jacobs Engineering examine the historic 179-foot mobile
service tower at Launch Complex 13 after it was toppled by explosives
here Aug. 6. (U.S. Air Force photo)