Atlas D Launch Crib (LF)

This is the launch crib structure for one of America’s first intercontinental ballistic missiles, 576-A Launcher #3. Nikita Khruschev reportedly passed by this launch structure on a trip between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but he snubbed the view when the trains passed Vandenberg, as reported by this account on NPR by Senator Jim Webb (D-Virginia): "Despite Vandenberg’s remoteness, we knew viscerally of its importance. In 1959, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev made a train journey from Los Angeles to San Francisco during a visit to the United States. The rail route passed through the outer fringes of Vandenberg, near the sea. As the train left the little village of Surf and entered the base’s property, Khrushchev famously folded his arms and turned his back on the facility, staring out into the Pacific Ocean until his railroad car was again on civilian soil."

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Tags: vandenberg, abandoned, icbm, atlasd, missile, 576a, night, urbex, urbanexploration
Uploaded: December 28, 2009
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18 comments

Eben Ostby wrote...
Fantastic image. Really evocative.

Jonathan Haeber wrote...
Thanks! I had originally cited this as a Titan D rocket, so I've updated accordingly. Hopefully that didn't confuse anyone.

seier+seier wrote...
absolutely incredible :)

seier+seier wrote...
somehow reminiscent of the work of raimund abraham: www.archidose.org/Jan01/austria1.jpg

Jonathan Haeber wrote...
@seier+seier+seier : the resemblance is incredible. One has to wonder if the artist (or the rocket engineers for that matter!) were inspired by the other's work.

seier+seier wrote...
well, I know abraham has studied anonymous structures - agricultural, though - his first book was about austrian barns, if I remember correctly (I have it here somewhere).

seier+seier wrote...
there is another connection, although later: abraham was commisioned to design a building for a discontinued german raketenstation a few years ago. his answer was apropriately sombre: www.flickr.com/photos/seier/3347555922/

Stephen Walsh wrote...
That's awesome, Jon. One of your best.

Leap Kye wrote...
Stunning form!

Carrie Whitsett wrote...
Beautiful composition for the long exposure. The symetry and alignment is almost perfect. Good Job!!!

Amanda Tomlin wrote...
I like that the north star is just behind the building.

rustyjaw wrote...
Damn that's amazing.

Justin Wright wrote...
Amazing!

Jonathan Haeber wrote...
An interesting side note about this photo: It was originally intended to be about a 10 minute exposure, but I mistakenly fell asleep in the ice plant next to the camera and didn't wake up until 25 minutes later (I've been known to do that while photographing with my LF rig). Suffice to say, I'm glad I overexposed this one!

Joe Reed wrote...
Awesome!