
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. — Two 34-year-old towers on Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Station, fall to the ground amid the black smoke from explosives set to topple them. Weighing two million pounds, the umbilical tower (left) was approximately 200 feet high. The taller 300-foot Mobile Service Tower (right), still falling, weighs five million pounds. About 200 pounds of linear-shaped charges were used to topple the towers so that the materials can be recycled. Adjacent to the towers are lightning protection structures, which will remain on the site. The towers are being demolished to make room for Lockheed Martin's 14-acre Vehicle Integration Facility (VIF), under construction. The implosion and removal of the tower debris is expected to be completed in two months. The VIF will be used for Lockheed Martin's Atlas V Launch System.
Most NASA images are in the public domain and free to use. Credit NASA as the source. Check NASA's media usage guidelines for details. Images featuring identifiable individuals may require additional permissions.
NASA ID
KSC-99pp1240
Date Created
October 14, 1999
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL
Download this image in multiple resolutions. All NASA media are free for public use.
Medium
960px