Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3

Launch Area 3

Launch of a Scout X-1 from the original LA-3
Launch site Wallops Flight Facility
Location 37°51′02″N 75°28′21″W / 37.8506°N 75.4725°W / 37.8506; -75.4725
Short name LA-3
Operator NASA
Total launches 45
Launch pad(s) Two
LA-3 (Mk.I) launch history
Status Inactive
Launches 22
First launch 1960-04-18
Last launch 1970-03-07
Associated
rockets		 Scout X
Scout X-1
Scout X-1A
Scout X-2
Scout X-3
Scout X-3A
Scout X-4
Scout X-4A
Nike-Apache
Nike-Iroquois
LA-3A (Mk.II) launch history
Status Inactive
Launches 23
First launch 1964-07-20
Last launch 1985-12-13
Associated
rockets		 Scout X-3C
Scout X-4
Scout X-4A
Scout X-5C
Scout B
Scout B-1
Scout D-1
Scout G-1

Launch Area 3 (LA-3) at the Wallops Flight Facility is a launch complex which was used, mostly by Scout rockets, between 1960 and 1985. Forty-one Scout launches occurred from the complex, making both orbital and suborbital. In addition, four Nike sounding rockets were launched from the complex in 1970.

Launch Area 3 contains two launch pads, Area 3 and Area 3A. Area 3, also known as the Mk.I launcher, was used by eighteen Scout rockets between 1960 and 1964. The first launch from the complex, on 18 April 1960, was the maiden flight of the Scout rocket, using the Scout X configuration. The last Scout launch from the pad occurred on 6 November 1964. On 7 March 1970, a Nike-Apache and four Nike-Iroquois rockets were launched from the complex.

The upgraded Launch Area 3A, or Mk.II launcher, replaced the original Launch Area 3. It was used for twenty-three Scout launches, starting on 20 July 1964. The last launch from the complex occurred on 13 December 1985.

See also

References

    • Wade, Mark. "Wallops Island LA3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
    • Wade, Mark. "Wallops Island LA3A". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
    • McDowell, Jonathan. "Scout". Orbital & Suborbital Launch Database. Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 


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