The July 2025 inauguration of the revamped and upgraded Launch Complex 16 (LC-16) on Cape Canaveral, Florida, by Relativity Space opened a crucial testing and launch site for the company's reusable heavy-lift Terran R rocket. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was specified to protect the concrete launch pad and flume from the marine environment – and the rocket exhaust.
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The July 2025 inauguration of the revamped and upgraded Launch Complex 16 (LC-16) on Cape Canaveral, Florida, by Relativity Space opened a crucial testing and launch site for the company's reusable heavy-lift Terran R rocket. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was specified to protect the concrete launch pad and flume from the marine environment – and the rocket exhaust.
Part of the Missile Row lineup of launch pads at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on the east coast of Florida, Launch Complex 16 (LC-16) was one of four launch complexes built in the late 1950s to support the US government's development and testing of the Titan missile program. The LC-16 launch pad site was reassigned to NASA in 1965, deactivated in 1969, and returned to the Air Force in 1972. Today, LC-16 is leased to Relativity Space, an American aerospace manufacturing company.
"Relativity Space is in the business of developing and manufacturing space launch vehicles and rocket engines for commercial launch services," notes Dale Williams, General Sales Manager for Penetron USA. "Most notably, the company manufactures their rocket parts using an innovative 3D technology."
The most recent upgrade and expansion of the LC-16 site included work on the concrete launch pad and flume, a payload processing facility, and a launch control center. Completion of this multi-year project enables Relativity Space to continue the development and testing of its heavy-lift Terran R rocket system, which features a reusable first stage powered by 13 Aeon R engines. The company is working towards a 2026 first flight for Terran R from the LC-16 site.
"Because of the marine environment and the nature of the soil at the launch pad site – it's essentially built on beach sand immediately adjacent to the ocean – it was important to protect the concrete structures from seawater and the associated chloride ion penetration to avoid corrosion of the underlying steel reinforcements," adds Dale Williams. "As a secondary benefit, reducing concrete porosity is beneficial for durability when exposed to rocket exhaust."
Because the LC-16 construction site on Cape Canaveral is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Cemex, the project's ready-mix concrete supplier, specified PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, for the concrete mix to protect the new concrete launch pad and flume. When treated with PENETRON ADMIX, concrete is impermeable to the corrosive chloride ions prevalent in seawater.
"By preventing corrosion, PENETRON ADMIX SB helps substantially extend the service life of the new launch pad structures," says Dale Williams. "Ultimately, any future concrete maintenance and repair costs are virtually eliminated."
The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs, and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives, and distribution channels.
For more information on Penetron crystalline technology solutions, please visit http://www.penetron.com, email: [email protected] or contact our Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.
Media Contact
Corporate Relations, The Penetron Group, 631-941-9700, [email protected], www.penetron.com
SOURCE The Penetron Group
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