Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A

Launch Complex 39A
The pad in January 2024 during the launch of Axiom Mission 3 with the SpaceX Starship launch tower in the background
Interactive map of Launch Complex 39A
Launch siteKennedy Space Center
LocationMerritt Island, Florida
Coordinates28°36′30″N 80°36′16″W / 28.60833°N 80.60444°W / 28.60833; -80.60444
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
• Summer (DST)
UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Short nameLC-39A
Established1962 (1962)
Operator
Launch pad2, plus 2 landing sites
Orbital inclination
range
28.5–55, 66–145°
Pad 39A (main) launch history
StatusActive
Launches219
First launchNovember 9, 1967
Saturn V (Apollo 4)
Last launchDecember 17, 2025
Falcon 9 Block 5 (Starlink G6-99)
Associated
rockets
OLP-x launch history
StatusUnder Construction
Associated
rockets
LZ-x landing history
StatusPlanned
Associated
rockets
LZ-x landing history
StatusPlanned
Associated
rockets
Launch Complex 39--Pad A
Area160 acres (65 ha)
Built1964–1968
MPSJohn F. Kennedy Space Center MPS
NRHP reference No.99001638
Added to NRHPJanuary 21, 2000
4km
2.5miles
28
28
27
27
26
26
25
25
24
24
23
23
22
22
21
20
20
19
19 SLC-46
(Various)
18
18
17
17 LC-36
(New Glenn)
16
16
15
15
14
14
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
10
9
8
7
6
5
5 SLC-40 (Falcon 9)
4
4 SLC-41
(Atlas, Vulcan)
3
2
2 LC-39A (F9, FH)
1
1 LC-39B (SLS)

  Active pads
  Active pads not used for launches
  Inactive leased pads
  Inactive unleased pads

Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) is the first of Launch Complex 39's three launch sub-complexes, located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. The main launch pad, along with Launch Complex 39B, was built in the 1960s to accommodate the Saturn V launch vehicle, and has been used to support NASA crewed space flight missions, including the historic Apollo 11 moon landing and the Space Shuttle. Since 2014 the site has been leased by SpaceX and supports launches of the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. As of November 2025, SpaceX is expanding the site to support Starship operations. Other plans include adding two landing zones for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets to conduct "Return-to-launch-site" landings.