Launch Complexes 31-32

• Minuteman I
• Minuteman II
• Minuteman III
• Pershing 1A

Other Programs

• None

Cost: $4,861,107

History of Launch Complex

• Construction contract awarded on 29 July 1959
• Built between July 1959 and July 1960 and the brick and mortar construction was completed in November 1960
• Turned over to Air Force, 18 April 1961
• One blockhouse, flat pads and silo for each launch complex. The blockhouse had periscopes in the two story facility
• Pads 31A and 32A were flat pads with roll-back service towers. The steel tower was 65' high, weighed 200 tons and was moved on rails. A 35' umbilical tower was used
• Pads 31B and 32B were silos. The silos were about 90 feet deep with a large equipment room (61' 8" by 17 to 22') under the pad next to each silo

Pad 31A

• First Minuteman IA launch, 1 February 1961, last Minuteman I launch, 27 July 1961. Total of 3 Minuteman I launched from surface Pad 31A
• Minuteman II had a Mobile Feasibility Test, 14 March 1970
   

Silo 31B

• Minuteman IA launched, 18 December 1961 - 19 November 1962
• Total of 15 Minuteman IB launched from this silo, 14 December 1962 - 29 September 1964
• Pad 31 was modified in the last half of 1964 for the Minuteman II
• Minuteman II launched, 6 December 1964 - 1 April 1966
• Pad 31 was placed in temporary storage in the spring of 1966 pending its modification for the Minuteman III program
• Minuteman III launched, 26 March 1969 - 23 September 1969, Total of 4 launches
• Silo 31B was deactivated following the 23 September 1969 flight

Pad 32A

• No launches occurred from this flat pad. It had a mobile service tower and umbilical tower.

Silo 32B

• First Minuteman IA launch, 30 August 1961, last 20 February 1963
• Total of 15 Minuteman IB launched from this silo, 7 December 1962 - 30 March 1964
• A mobile railway system was built for the Minuteman IA Mobile Basing System near Pad 32A in 1960 with rail tracks (1,700 ft.) from the Mobile Support Building to Pad 32A. The concept was abandoned in December 1961 in favor of the silo program
• The launch complex was reconfigured from Minuteman I the last half of 1964 for the Minuteman II
• First Minuteman II launch, 24 September 1964, last Minuteman II launch, 7 February 1968, Total of 14 launches
• First Minuteman III launch, 16 August 1968, last Minuteman III launch, 14 December 1970, Total of 13 launches

• Total of 92 Minuteman I, II and III launches from Launch Complexes 31 and 32, 1 February 1961 - 15 December 1970
• Launch Complex 32 was deactivated in 1971
• In 1973, Army used the launch complex for Pershing 1A launches, Pad 31 A
• Total of 12 Pershing 1A launched, 21 February 1973 - 19 March 1973
• STS 51L Challenger wreckage and boxes of debris were delivered to the site starting on 8 January 1987, lowered into silos at Launch Complexes 31 and 32 at the end of February 1987 and then capped with concrete lids on 24 February 1987. NASA recovered 235,000 pounds of STS 51L.