Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36

Launch Complex 36
	LC-36 in January 2025, launching the maiden flight of New Glenn
Launch site	Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Coordinates	28°28′14″N 80°32′24″W / 28.47056°N 80.54000°W
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Short name	LC-36
Operator	United States Space Force (owner); Space Florida (tenant); Blue Origin (subtenant)
Total launches	146
Orbital inclination ; range	28° - 57°
Status
LC-36 launch history
Status	Active
Launches	1
First launch	16 January 2025; New Glenn (Blue Ring)
Associated; rockets	Current: New Glenn; Future: New Armstrong; Plans cancelled: Athena III
LC-36A launch history
Status	Demolished
Launches	68
First launch	May 18, 1962; Atlas-Centaur (AC-1)
Last launch	August 31, 2004; Atlas II (NROL-1)
Associated; rockets	Retired: Atlas-Centaur, Atlas II
LC-36B launch history
Status	Demolished
Launches	77
First launch	August 11, 1965; Atlas-Centaur (Surveyor SD-2)
Last launch	February 3, 2005; Atlas III (NROL-23)
Associated; rockets	Retired: Atlas-Centaur, Atlas I, Atlas II, Atlas III

Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) is a launch complex located at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.^[1]^[2] Located south of the Missile Row launch range, the complex originally consisted of two pads—designated LC-36A and LC-36B—to support the flights of Atlas launch vehicles equipped with a Centaur upper stage. From the 1960s to the 1980s, LC-36 was used by NASA and the United States Air Force to launch many payloads from the Atlas-Centaur and its derivatives, including the Pioneer, Surveyor, and Mariner probes.^[3] Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, General Dynamics (and later Lockheed Martin) modified the two pads to support the larger Atlas I, Atlas II, and Atlas III.^[4]

Following the Atlas program's relocation to Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) in 2005, LC-36 stood vacant until Blue Origin acquired the lease in 2015 for use by their heavy-lift New Glenn rocket.^[5] The company made extensive modifications to the complex during this time, including demolishing 36A and 36B to build one large pad in place, as well as integrating the neighboring Launch Complex 11 (LC-11) into the facility. Following this large-scale renovation, the new era of LC-36 commenced with the maiden flight of New Glenn in January 2025.

^ McDowell, Jonathan (February 22, 1998). "Issue 350". Jonathan's Space Report. Jonathan's Space Page. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
^ "Table 3 — Launch Capability in Florida". AU-18 Space Handbook. Air War College Gateway to the Internet. Archived from the original on March 5, 2001. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
^ Launch Site Safety Assessment, Section 1.0 Eastern Range General Range Capabilities (PDF) (Report). Federal Aviation Administration. March 1999. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
^ Cite error: The named reference nsf20151008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference nsf20190911 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] McDowell, Jonathan (February 22, 1998). "Issue 350". Jonathan's Space Report. Jonathan's Space Page. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2010.

[2] "Table 3 — Launch Capability in Florida". AU-18 Space Handbook. Air War College Gateway to the Internet. Archived from the original on March 5, 2001. Retrieved January 25, 2010.

[3] Launch Site Safety Assessment, Section 1.0 Eastern Range General Range Capabilities (PDF) (Report). Federal Aviation Administration. March 1999. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2010.

[nsf20151008-4] Cite error: The named reference nsf20151008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[nsf20190911-5] Cite error: The named reference nsf20190911 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36

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