 Delta IV Heavy lifts off from SLC-37B in June 2016 carryingNROL-37 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Interactive map of Space Launch Complex 37 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 28°31′55″N80°34′01″W / 28.531986°N 80.566821°W /28.531986; -80.566821 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
• Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short name | SLC-37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | United States Space Force | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total launches | 43 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital inclination range | 28° - 57° | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Space Launch Complex 37[2][3] (SLC-37), previouslyLaunch Complex 37 (LC-37), is a launch complex onCape Canaveral Space Force Station,Florida. Originally built to support theApollo program, the complex consists of two launch pads:LC-37A andSLC-37B. Pad 37A has never been used, while 37B hostedSaturn I andSaturn IB launches in the 1960s as well asDelta IV andDelta IV Heavy launches from 2002 to 2024.
As of July 2025, the pad is not officially leased to anyone. However,SpaceX is expected to become the next tenant of SLC-37 for use as a launch site forStarship, so far possessing a limitedright of entry, to begin demolition of existing structures, as it prepares a draftenvironmental impact statement.[4]
Launch Complex 37 began construction in 1959, being envisioned to be a second site to launch the experimentalheavy-liftSaturn rockets, joiningLaunch Complex 34 (LC-34) to the south. Originally, it was planned to be the launch site for anEarth orbit rendezvous (EOR) strategy to potentially be taken by the Apollo program, where a launch vehicle such as theSaturn C-3 would launch both thetrans-lunar injection stage and theLunar Excursion Module from the two pads, while the crew would lift off from LC-34 and intercept the two payloads inlow Earth orbit. DespiteNASA opting for aLunar orbit rendezvous (LOR) approach and using theSaturn V fromLaunch Complex 39 to the north, they nonetheless accepted LC-37 to support theSaturn I program in 1963.[5]
The original layout of the launch complex featured one Mobile Service Structure which could be used to service or mate a rocket on either LC-37A or 37B, but not on both simultaneously. The first launch from LC-37 came on January 29, 1964, launchingSaturn I SA-5 as part of the rocketry development portion of the Apollo program. Over the next two years, a total of six uncrewed Saturn I flights were launched from the complex, mostly carryingboilerplateApollo capsules alongside the three launches of thePegasus project.
In late 1965, both LC-37 and LC-34 were modified to launch the Saturn I's successor, theSaturn IB. Similarly to its previous configuration, this was in support of Apollo development before the Saturn V's activation atKennedy Space Center; however, the original purpose of EOR was also made ready as a backup in case complications render the Saturn V and LOR unfeasible. Only two Saturn IB launches were made from LC-37: the first one wasAS-203 (or informally Apollo 3), which launched on July 5, 1966 and tested engine restart capabilities on theS-IVB upper stage. The second one wasApollo 5, lifting off on January 22, 1968 and carrying the first operational test of theApollo Lunar Module in space.[5] The facility was deactivated in 1972, following the conclusion of the Apollo program. Proposals were drawn of resuming Saturn IB launches from LC-37 and LC-34 as part of theApollo Applications Program, but NASA instead opted to modifyLaunch Complex 39B for that role. LC-37 would sit dormant for the next 30 years.
In 1998, theUnited States Air Force andBoeing came into an agreement to use LC-37 for launching theDelta IV as part of theEvolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program, getting rechristened as SLC-37 as a result of doing so. Having acquired theDelta family following their merger withMcDonnell Douglas the previous year, Boeing aimed for the Delta IV to be a complement and not a replacement to the other active members of the time, theDelta II andDelta III. As such (and taking the difference in lift capabilities into account), a new launch site similar in size to SLC-37 was needed rather than continuing to useSpace Launch Complex 17 (SLC-17). Facility modifications were made to SLC-37B in 2001, constructing a 330 ft (100 m) tall Mobile Service Tower fitted to service all planned Delta IV configurations.[6] The complex was officially put into active service with the first launch of the Delta IV on November 20, 2002, carryingEutelsat 70A togeostationary transfer orbit.
On December 21, 2004, SLC-37 supported the maiden flight of theDelta IV Heavy, which aimed at carrying a boilerplate and an assortment of small satellites into orbit. The next year, citing issues that sprang up with competition, Boeing announced that Delta operations at the pad and at SLC-17 would be combined with those ofAtlas V atSpace Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) as part of ajoint venture withLockheed Martin. This handover would be made official with the establishment ofUnited Launch Alliance (ULA) in December 2006, and SLC-37 supported its first launch under ULA with a Delta IV Heavy flight on November 11, 2007.
During the Delta IV era, SLC-37 underwent 35 launches of the family, consisting of 29 Medium launches and 16 Heavy launches.[7] Almost all payloads launched were governmental in nature, with a majority of that subsection being military customers such as the Air Force, theUnited States Navy, and theNational Reconnaissance Office. Some notable missions launched from the facility includeGOES-N,GOES-O, andGOES-P forNOAA throughout the late 2000s,Exploration Flight Test-1 for NASA'sOrion spacecraft in 2014, and theParker Solar Probe in 2018.
Throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s, ULA began to wind down operations at the complex in preparation for the Delta IV's retirement. Their new launch vehicle to replace the Delta and Atlas families,Vulcan Centaur, was planning on having its launch site be at SLC-41 and as such ULA opted to let the SLC-37 lease expire. The final Delta IV Medium launch came on August 22, 2019 carrying aGPS satellite for the Air Force, while the last overall launch of the Delta family came with a Delta IV Heavy launch for the NRO on April 9, 2024.[8]
During the lead up to the Delta IV's retirement, theUnited States Space Force (having taken over the Air Force's jurisdiction at Cape Canaveral) andSpaceX began evaluating SLC-37 as a potential launch site forStarship. This would complement SpaceX's existing operations atStarbase and its plans forLaunch Complex 39A atKennedy Space Center. As part of the process, theFederal Aviation Administration was tasked with preparing anenvironmental impact statement (EIS).[9] The draft EIS, initially expected in December 2024, was released in June 2025.[10][11] An official lease announcement was originally expected to occur following the final study's release in September 2025.[4] As of November 4th 2025, the final study is yet to be released.
SpaceX plans to construct two launch pads with integration towers on the eastern portion of SLC-37, designed to support a potential flight cadence of up to 76 launches per year.[1] In March 2025, SpaceX announced it had received a limitedright of entry for SLC-37, which it has used to begin demolition and site clearing.[12][13] On June 12, themobile service structure andlightning towers for the Delta IV pad were imploded in acontrolled demolition.[14]
All flights operated byNASA.
| No. | Date | Time (UTC) | Vehicle | Serial Number | Mission | Result | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 January 1964 | 16:25 | Saturn I | SA-5 | SA-5 | Success | First launch from LC-37 and first Block II Saturn I flight. First orbital Saturn launch and first with a liveS-IV. Flight notable for being referred to byJohn F. Kennedy as the one that would place American lift capability ahead of theSoviets. |
| 2 | 28 May 1964 | 17:07 | Saturn I | SA-6 | AS-101 | Success | First Saturn I flight with aboilerplate version of theApollo CSM. OneH-1 engine failed during ascent, but mission performed nominally otherwise. |
| 3 | 18 September 1964 | 16:22 | Saturn I | SA-7 | AS-102 | Success | Boilerplate CSM flight. |
| 4 | 16 February 1965 | 14:37 | Saturn I | SA-8 | AS-103 | Success | Boilerplate CSM flight. CarriedPegasus 1 as a secondary payload attached to theS-IV, designed to studymicrometeoroid impacts. |
| 5 | 25 May 1965 | 07:35 | Saturn I | SA-9 | AS-104 | Success | Boilerplate CSM flight. CarriedPegasus 2 as a secondary payload attached to theS-IV, designed to studymicrometeoroid impacts. |
| 6 | 30 July 1965 | 13:00 | Saturn I | SA-10 | AS-105 | Success | Boilerplate CSM flight. CarriedPegasus 3 as a secondary payload attached to theS-IV, designed to studymicrometeoroid impacts. Last flight of the Saturn I. |
| 7 | 5 July 1966 | 14:53 | Saturn IB | SA-203 | AS-203 | Success | Mission to test restart capabilities of theS-IVB to simulatetrans-lunar injection. First Saturn IB launch from LC-37, and only Saturn IB launch without a payload. Also occasionally known as Apollo 3. |
| 8 | 22 January 1968 | 22:48 | Saturn IB | SA-204 | Apollo 5 | Success | Mission to test thelunar module inlow Earth orbit. First Saturn IB flight following theApollo 1 fire, and used Apollo 1's intended rocket for flight. Last unmanned Saturn IB launch, and last Saturn launch from LC-37. |
All launches before 2006 operated byBoeing. All launches since 2007 operated byUnited Launch Alliance.
| No. | Date | Time (UTC) | Vehicle | Configuration | Payload[15] | Result[15] | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 20 November 2002 | 22:39 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | Eutelsat W5 | Success[16] | Maiden flight of the Delta IV, and first commercial launch from SLC-37. First Delta flight not usingThor-based architecture. |
| 10 | 11 March 2003 | 00:59 | Delta IV | Medium | DSCS-3 A3 | Success[17] | First military launch from SLC-37. |
| 11 | 29 August 2003 | 23:13 | Delta IV | Medium | DSCS-3 B6 | Success[18] | |
| 12 | 21 December 2004 | 21:50 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | DemoSat | Partial failure | Contained two3 Corner Satellites, nicknamedSparkie andRalphie, assecondary payloads. Maiden flight of the Delta IV Heavy.Common Booster Cores underperformed, placing primary satellite in incorrect orbit and failing to put secondary satellites into orbit. |
| 13 | 24 May 2006 | 22:11 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GOES-13 | Success[19] | Launched as GOES-N. Part of theGeostationary Operational Environmental Satellites system of satellites. First GOES launch on a Delta rocket sinceGOES-7. |
| 14 | 11 November 2007 | 01:50 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | DSP-23 | Success | First Delta IV launch following the creation ofUnited Launch Alliance. |
| 15 | 18 January 2009 | 02:47 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | NROL-26 | Success | NRO launch.Orion satellite, also known as USA-202. FirstNational Reconnaissance Office launch from SLC-37, and first on a Delta IV Heavy. |
| 16 | 27 June 2009 | 22:51 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GOES-14 | Success[20] | Launched as GOES-O. Part of theGeostationary Operational Environmental Satellites system of satellites. |
| 17 | 6 December 2009 | 01:47 | Delta IV | Medium+ (5,4) | WGS-3 | Success[21] | |
| 18 | 4 March 2010 | 23:57 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GOES-15 | Success[22] | Launched as GOES-P. Part of theGeostationary Operational Environmental Satellites system of satellites. |
| 19 | 28 May 2010 | 3:00 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GPS IIF SV-1 | Success[23] | Part of theGlobal Positioning System. First GPS launch on a Delta IV. |
| 20 | 21 November 2010 | 22:58 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | NROL-32 | Success | NRO launch.Orion satellite, also known as USA-223. |
| 21 | 11 March 2011 | 23:38 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | NROL-27 | Success | NRO launch.SDS satellite, also known as USA-227. |
| 22 | 16 July 2011 | 06:41 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GPS IIF-2 | Success[24] | Part of theGlobal Positioning System. |
| 23 | 20 January 2012 | 00:38 | Delta IV | Medium+ (5,4) | WGS-4 | Success[25] | |
| 24 | 29 June 2012 | 13:15 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | NROL-15 | Success | NRO launch.Orion satellite, also known as USA-237. |
| 25 | 4 October 2012 | 12:10 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GPS IIF-3 | Success[26] | Part of theGlobal Positioning System. |
| 26 | 25 May 2013 | 00:27 | Delta IV | Medium+ (5,4) | WGS-5 | Success[27] | |
| 27 | 8 August 2013 | 00:29 | Delta IV | Medium+ (5,4) | WGS-6 | Success[28] | |
| 28 | 21 February 2014 | 01:59 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GPS IIF-5 | Success[29] | Part of theGlobal Positioning System. |
| 29 | 17 May 2014 | 00:03 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GPS IIF-6 | Success[30] | Part of theGlobal Positioning System. |
| 30 | 28 July 2014 | 23:28 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | USA 253 to USA-255 (AFSPC-4 (GSSAP #1/#2/ANGELS)) | Success[31] | |
| 31 | 5 December 2014 | 12:05 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | Exploration Flight Test-1 | Success | Test flight of anOrion capsule, demonstrating flight operations in space and beyondlow Earth orbit in anticipation forfuture operations with theSpace Launch System. Maiden flight of an Orion capsule and what would eventually become theArtemis Program. Payload fairings replaced with capsule,launch escape system, and boilerplateEuropean Service Module. |
| 32 | 25 March 2015 | 18:36 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GPS IIF-9 | Success[32] | Part of theGlobal Positioning System. |
| 33 | 24 July 2015 | 00:07 | Delta IV | Medium+ (5,4) | WGS-7 | Success[33] | |
| 34 | 11 June 2016 | 17:51 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | NROL-37 | Success | NRO launch.Orion satellite, also known as USA-268. |
| 35 | 19 August 2016 | 04:52 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | USA-270 and USA-271 (AFSPC-6 (GSSAP #3/#4)) | Success[34] | |
| 36 | 7 December 2016 | 23:53 | Delta IV | Medium+ (5,4) | WGS-8 | Success[35] | |
| 37 | 19 March 2017 | 00:18 | Delta IV | Medium+ (5,4) | WGS-9 | Success[36] | |
| 38 | 12 August 2018 | 07:31 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | Parker Solar Probe | Success | Part of theLarge Strategic Science Missions and theLiving With a Star program, aimed at studying thecorona of theSun. Only heliocentric launch of the Delta IV, last heliocentric launch of the Delta family, and first from SLC-37. Holds the current proximity record to the Sun at 9.8 solar radii (6.9 million km), and fastest traveling artificial object at 191 km/s (0.064c). |
| 39 | 16 March 2019 | 00:26 | Delta IV | Medium+ (5,4) | WGS-10 | Success[37] | |
| 40 | 22 August 2019 | 13:06 | Delta IV | Medium+ (4,2) | GPS III-2 | Success[38] | Part of theGlobal Positioning System. Last GPS launch on a Delta rocket, and last Delta IV Medium launch. |
| 41 | 11 December 2020 | 01:09 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | NROL-44 | Success | NRO launch.Orion satellite, also known as USA-311.[39][40] |
| 42 | 22 June 2023 | 09:18 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | NROL-68 | Success | NRO launch.Orion satellite, also known as USA-345. |
| 43 | 9 April 2024 | 16:53 | Delta IV Heavy | Heavy | NROL-70 | Success | NRO launch.Orion satellite, also known as USA-353. Last flight of the Delta IV, and last flight of theDelta family. |
_after_its_launch_tower.jpg)
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.| Launch complexes |  | ||||||||||
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