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Block House for LC3 Cape Canaveral AFS
A Blockhouse, also known as a firing room, or launch control is an integral part of a launch complex. The Blockhouse is traditionally located very close to the launch pad and contains all the launch and control equipment to launch and monitor the rocket whilst it is on the launch pad, and for the first few seconds of the flight.
The Blockhouse is constructed in such a manner that it is capable of withstanding a blast from a wayward rocket that does not perform correctly on the pad and explodes.
The Cape Canaveral AFS launch area provides an interesting insight into the evolution of the blockhouse from the early launches in the 1950s where the blockhouse was positioned less than a hundred yards away and was literally block shaped, through the conical block houses of the 1960s to the current Launch Control Center for the Space Shuttle located over 3 miles from the LC39 launch pads.
The Blockhouse from LC14 site of the Mercury missions
Blast door from LC14 blockhouse
LC39-LCC Launch Control Center
