Launch Complex 30 was originally constructed from 1958 to 1960 as part of the early expansion of
Cape Canaveral's rocketry activities. It was designed in mind for use by the
United States Army to test the
MGM-31 Pershing, an
SRBM planned to be used as a
theater ballistic missile, differing from the other more strategic long-range missiles being launched from the area. The construction is noteworthy for the
blockhouse built for LC-30, being the only one in the entire Cape to be multilevel, consisting of two stories. The first launch from LC-30 came on February 25, 1960, seeing the maiden flight of the Pershing I take off from LC-30A. Over the next three years, the complex would see a total of 56 launches, the entirety of them being from pad 30A. With the missile getting activated for military use in 1962, LC-30 would get deactivated and placed into caretaker status the next year, seeing its most recent launch to date on April 24, 1963. In February 1968, the
mobile service towers for the pads were demolished and sold for scrap. The next month, use of LC-30 was given to the
United States Navy as a facility to use for the assembly of the
Mark 48 torpedo for use in sea tests. In the present day, the facility is used by various contractors in support of various other operations at CCSFS, with the blockhouse getting converted into office space. Additionally, there is a Pershing I on display at LC-30 to showcase the facility's previous use in missile tests. == Launch statistics ==