![]() SLC-40 during launch of NG-20 in January 2024 with the newly constructed tower and access arm for future crewed launches | |||||||||||
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Launch site | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station | ||||||||||
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Location | 28°33′44″N 80°34′38″W / 28.562106°N 80.577180°W | ||||||||||
Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) | ||||||||||
• Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) | ||||||||||
Short name | SLC-40 | ||||||||||
Operator |
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Total launches | 256 | ||||||||||
Orbital inclination range | 28–98° | ||||||||||
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Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), sometimes referred to as "Slick Forty," is a launch pad located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Initially opened as Launch Complex 40 (LC-40) and used by the United States Air Force for 55 launches of rockets from the Titan family between 1965 and 2005. In 2007, SpaceX acquired a lease for SLC-40 and has since transformed the complex into a high-volume launch site for the Falcon 9 rocket. As of August 2024, the pad has hosted over 200 Falcon 9 launches.
A major setback occurred in 2016 when a catastrophic explosion during a static fire test heavily damaged the facility. After extensive repairs and upgrades, SLC-40 returned to service in December 2017. To further enhance its capabilities, a tower and access arm were added in 2023 to support SpaceX's crewed missions.
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