MST at Atlas Space Launch Complex #40

HISTORY

At one point, Mobile Service Tower (MST) 40 at Cape Canaveral was the largest mobile structure on earth. Demolition of same was considered a challenge by the US Air Force engineering group putting the contract out to bid. MST 40 was a veteran of over 55 Titan III and Titan IV launches between 1965 and 2005.

MST #40 was a veteran of over 55 Titan III and Titan IV launches between 1965 and 2005.

PROJECT OUTLINE

At one point, Mobile Service Tower (MST) 40 at Cape Canaveral was the largest mobile structure on earth. Demolition of same was considered a challenge by the US Air Force engineering group putting the contract out to bid. MST 40 was a veteran of over 55 Titan III and Titan IV launches between 1965 and 2005.

As one of the tasks to be undertaken by AMEC at Cape Canaveral in converting Space Launch Complex 40 over to a private launch pad for use by Space-X, the 6,500 ton mobile service structure needed to be felled without damage to the hollow control facilities located beneath the SLC 40 pad.

CDI was a long-standing specialty subcontractor to AMEC and it took only 10 days for CDI to develop a plan for the project. Following 2 weeks of preparatory works, CDI placed linear shaped charges at 345 locations at more than 11 different elevations in the structure. Fly of debris had to be completely controlled to avoid damage to lightning arresting towers and telemetry equipment which surrounded the launch facility.
On April 27, 2008, CDI’s engineered explosives demolition plan initiated the rotation of MST 40 to the east, allowing for the rolling structure to resist reverse thrust backward until such time as the center of gravity had passed the 47 point in the direction of fall. At that point, CDI’s plan allowed the rolling trucks under the structure to move forward, keeping reverse thrust into the launch pad facility to remain below to within allowable limits.

FUTURE

After 2007, the US Air Force leased the complex to SpaceX to launch the Falcon 9 rocket. As of August 2020, there have been 57 launches of the Falcon 9 from the complex. After sustaining damage during a static text fire, The complex was repaired and returned to operational status in December 2017 for the CRS-13 mission.

Click HERE to watch the MTS #40 Implosion.