Vandenberg Space Force Base
United States Space Force Base near Los Angeles
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| 2025 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 8
Northrop Grumman assumed launch operations at Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 8, succeeding Orbital Sciences Corporation.
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| April 16 2025 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 8
First launch of Space Launch Complex 8 following Orbital's merger with Alliant Techsystems and Northrop Grumman's acquisition of Orbital ATK. The Minotaur IV successfully launched the NROL-174 payload.
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| 2025 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5
Planned maiden launch of the Daytona rocket from SLC-5 in Q4, though no construction had started at the time of reporting.
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| 2025 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6
Planned modifications by SpaceX to adapt SLC-6 for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches are set to commence.
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| March 7 2025 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of SPHEREx & PUNCH missions to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4E using booster B1088.3
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| 2024 |
Black Dahlia
Michael Connelly published 'The Waiting', a novel with a major subplot involving the Black Dahlia case.
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| 2024 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5
United States Space Force announced leasing of SLC-5 to Phantom Space Corporation for their Daytona launch vehicle line.
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| 2024 | SMRT began acquiring New Flyer XE35 electric buses with Siemens ELFA3 motors, with one bus already at its yard and three more expected to arrive soon |
| July 12 2024 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
Experienced a mission failure during a Starlink satellite launch attempt.
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| January 29 2024 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
Achieved the fastest turnaround time for both droneship landing (just over 5 days) and launch pad turnaround (5 days, 5 hours, 22 minutes, and 20 seconds).
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| January 29 2024 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
Marked the fastest turnaround of a droneship in just over 5 days, and the fastest launch pad turnaround at SLC-4E of 5 days, 5 hours, 22 minutes, and 20 seconds.
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| 2023 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 9
Blue Origin and the Space Force agreed to construct a new launch pad designated as Space Launch Complex 9 in the Lompoc Terrace area near Space Launch Complex 3.
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| 2023 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5
United States Space Force leased SLC-5 to Phantom Space Corporation for use by their Daytona family of rockets.
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| 2023 |
Ancistrocarphus keilii
A significant population bloom occurred, with a few thousand plants emerging, dramatically increasing from the previous estimate of only 180 individuals.
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| December 8 2023 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
Achieved the fastest turnaround time for this launch pad with a Starlink satellite deployment mission.
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| July 20 2023 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
First launch of larger Starlink v2 mini satellites from Vandenberg.
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| June 2023 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5
Space Force released a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for work plans at the pad, which include creating two small launch pads and constructing a horizontal integration facility.
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| April 24 2023 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6
The United States Space Force announced leasing Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6) to SpaceX for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches.
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| 2022 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2
Firefly and Northrop Grumman announced collaborative Medium Launch Vehicle development, planned to use SLC-2W as a polar launch site
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| 2022 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6
Completed ten successful missions with Delta IV and Delta IV Heavy rockets since 2006.
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| 2022 | SMRT introduced Proterra ZX5 electric buses with Parker GVM310-200 permanent magnet motors and Eaton 4-speed auto-shift EV transmissions |
| November 10 2022 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 3
Final launch of the Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 3 East (SLC-3E) at 09:49.
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| October 1 2022 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2
Firefly successfully launched Alpha rocket, reaching orbit
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| September 24 2022 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6
Final flight of a Delta rocket from Vandenberg, launching USA-338 (NROL-91) reconnaissance satellite into Low Earth Orbit.
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| May 24 2022 | Colonel Phillip A. Verroco assumes leadership of the Combined Space Operations Center |
| 2021 |
30th Space Communications Squadron
Another emblem change occurred, indicating continued evolution of the squadron's visual representation.
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| 2021 |
30th Space Communications Squadron
The 30th Space Communications Squadron adopted its current official emblem, which has both a full color version for Space Force uniforms and a subdued color version for Air Force uniforms.
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| 2021 | SMRT expanded its fleet with additional Gillig Low Floor 35' buses, continuing to use Cummins L9 engines and Allison B400R transmissions |
| December 2021 | The Santa Maria City Council approved service changes to be implemented in January, including route consolidation, two new transfer sites, and timed transfers at the primary Transit Center hub. The agency was rebranded from Santa Maria Area Transit to Santa Maria Regional Transit. |
| November 24 2021 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
Launch of DART mission, the first mission to demonstrate asteroid redirection capability, originally planned for July 22 but postponed.
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| September 14 2021 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
First Starlink mission launched from Vandenberg SLC-4, targeting a 70-degree orbital inclination.
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| September 3 2021 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2
Maiden flight of Firefly Alpha rocket, which resulted in a flight failure due to engine malfunction and range safety activation at transonic speeds
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| August 2021 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 3
Decommissioning of the Atlas V launch vehicle at Space Launch Complex 3 East (SLC-3E).
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| May 14 2021 |
30th Space Communications Squadron
With the establishment of the United States Space Force, the squadron became a direct report to HQ Space Launch Delta 30.
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| April 26 2021 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6
Delta IV Heavy launch of USA-314 (NROL-82) reconnaissance satellite into Low Earth Orbit.
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| 2020 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 9
Blue Origin initially explored leasing a launch site at Vandenberg for New Glenn rocket launches, initially focusing on Space Launch Complex 6.
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| 2020 | SMRT added more Gillig Low Floor 29' buses to its fleet with Cummins L9 engines and Allison B400R transmissions |
| October 15 2020 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2
A fire broke out inside the Delta II mobile service tower during demolition process, with no reported injuries
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| July 24 2020 | Colonel Monique C. DeLauter assumes leadership of the Combined Space Operations Center |
| 2019 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2
Firefly Aerospace leased SLC-2W launch complex after the retirement of Delta II
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| 2019 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 8
A clean pad measuring 15 by 15 feet of reinforced concrete was constructed, designed to support small launch vehicles up to 20 tons in mass.
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| January 19 2019 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6
Delta IV Heavy launch of USA-290 (NROL-71) reconnaissance satellite into Low Earth Orbit.
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| 2018 |
30th Space Communications Squadron
The squadron updated its emblem, signaling a potential change in unit branding or organizational restructuring.
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| 2018 |
Black Dahlia
Mena Suvari again portrayed Elizabeth Short in another American Horror Story episode, 'Return to Murder House'.
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| 2018 | Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT) began operating Gillig Low Floor 29' and 35' buses with Cummins L9 engines and Allison B400R transmissions |
| 2018 | RATP Dev was awarded the operating contract for Santa Maria's transit service. |
| 2018 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
SpaceX commenced landing operations at Landing Zone LZ-4, marking the site's transition from a launch complex to a rocket landing facility.
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| October 8 2018 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
First Block 5 reuse on the west coast and first land landing on SpaceX's west coast landing pad, Landing Zone 4, during the SAOCOM 1A mission.
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| September 12 2018 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2
Final launch of a Thor-derived vehicle from SLC-2W, with the ICESat-2 mission, marking the end of an era for the launch complex.
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| July 2018 |
Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
SpaceX filed an FCC permit to communicate with a Falcon 9 first stage post-landing at SLC-4W, indicating a potential return-to-launch-site (RTLS) landing for the SAOCOM 1A mission.
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This contents of the box above is based on material from the Wikipedia articles Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2, Combined Space Operations Center, Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4, Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5, Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 3, Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6, Black Dahlia, Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 8, Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 9, Santa Maria Regional Transit, 30th Space Communications Squadron & Ancistrocarphus keilii, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.