This photo is of the Nike Cellular Launch Bays, which were built at Launch
Complex 33 north of the Block house sometime in the early 1960's. The are three
bays, two with the doors closed and the one on the right with the doors open.
There was a berm built up around the facility. The structure to the left
and extending along the ends to the bays is an overhead crane, used to to load
the missiles on the launchers in each bay. There is an enclosed tunnel at
the near end of the bays with access to each bay. There is also a small
room, with the top visible near the left end of the tunnel. Note the white
topped station wagon sitting near the left exit of the tunnel. It is not
believed that any Cellular Launch Bays were ever deployed on tactical sites.
At the upper left of the photo is a bunker which housed
the control room for this and other Nike facilities at LC-33. It also
contained three large diesel generators. The large structure on the left
side of the bunker is the air intake for the generators. There are three
exhaust ports for the generators on top, with an escape hatch just below them.
The three bays and the overhead crane remain at LC-33
today. The crane rail structure was shortened back to approximately the
left end of the tunnel, the bay doors were removed, and a building built over
the complex. The bays now contain equipment from the Shock and Vibration
Laboratory at White Sands. The bunker houses the controls for the Shock
and Vibration equipment.