Vandenberg
Vandenberg
Credit - © Mark Wade
Type: Orbital Launch Site. Operator: USA. Country: USA. Latitude: 34°45' N. Longitude: 120°37' W. Altitude: 112 m (367 ft). Minimum Inclination: 51.0 degrees. Maximum Inclination: 145.0 degrees.

Vandenberg Air Force Base is located on the Central Coast of California about 240 km northwest of Los Angeles. It is used for launches of unmanned government and commercial satellites into polar orbit and intercontinental ballistic missile test launches toward the Kwajalein Atoll.

Vandenberg began as the US Army's Camp Cooke before World War II. The Army purchased approximately 86,000 acres of land in March 1941. With its flat plateau, surrounding hills, numerous nearby canyons, and relative remoteness from populated areas, the Army was convinced that it had found an ideal location for armured division training. Five armoured divisons and numerous other units trained their during the second world war. The main camp was inactivated in June 1946, then reactivated in August 1950 for armored training during the Korean War. It was mothballed again in February 1953.

By 1955 the US Air Force identified an urgent need for a secure launch site for long-range ballistic missile tests to targets in the Pacific Ocean and space launches into polar orbit. Camp Cooke's remote location, with a southern-facing shore, offered a unique location for such activities. In November 1956 the Secretary of Defense transferred North Camp Cooke to the Air Force. Two months later the first Air Force unit, the 6591st Support Squadron, was established at Cooke. Ground breaking for the missile base came in May 1957. The United States Air Force responded to Russian Sputnik launch in October 1957 by accelerating the development of its missile program. It transferred management responsibilities for Cooke AFB from Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) on January 1, 1958. Site activation, and research and development testing of ballistic missiles remained with ARDC. Space launches were to be conducted jointly by both commands. Although the mission at Cooke was now divided between ARDC and SAC, the two commands cultivated a close relationship that was to flourish for the next 35 years.

On October 4, 1958, Cooke AFB was renamed Vandenberg AFB in honor of the late General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, the Air Force's second Chief of Staff. The first missile launch from Vandenberg AFB was a Thor IRBM on December 16, 1958. Two months later on February 28, 1959, the world's first polar orbiting satellite, Discoverer I, lifted into space from a Thor/Agena booster combination. The Atlas made its debut West Coast flight on September 9. The following month, equipped with a nuclear warhead, Vandenberg became the site of the first ICBM to be placed on alert in the United States.

In 1961, the Titan I entered the inventory at Vandenberg AFB, but a more advanced version with storable propellants, all inertial guidance, and in-silo launch capability--the Titan II--was already in the process of development. More importantly, the solid-propellant, three-stage Minuteman ICBM was under development and began flight tests at Vandenberg in September 1962.

In subsequent years, other launch vehicles followed including the Peacekeeper (MX) ICBM beginning in June 1983, the Titan IV space booster in March 1991, the air-launched Pegasus booster in April 1995, and most recently the Delta II commercial space booster in February 1996. By April 1996, 1,721 orbital and ballistic missiles had lifted off from Vandenberg AFB.

By far, the most ambitious Air Force endeavours at Vandenberg were the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) and the Space Shuttle programs. Construction work for MOL began at Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6) in March 1966. The land for the new facility was obtained by an eminent domain purchase of the adjacent 15,000 acre Sudden Ranch at a cost of $9,842,700. Three years later, in June 1969, the project was canceled, the victim of cost overruns, completion delays, and emerging new technologies.

After nearly a decade of abandonment, SLC-6 was reactivated and underwent an estimated $4 billion modification program in preparation for the Space Shuttle, beginning in January 1979. Persistent site technical problems, however, and a joint decision by the Air Force and NASA to consolidate Shuttle operations at Cape Canaveral in Florida, following the Challenger tragedy in 1986, resulted in the official termination of the Shuttle program at Vandenberg on December 26, 1989. Today, SLC-6 is used by commercial space launch firms and for launches of the new Delta IV EELV booster.

On February 1, 1965, Vandenberg's AFWTR was given full responsibility for ICBM and space support functions, previously assigned to the Navy's Pacific Missile Range. The transfer involved taking over fixed and mobile range sites at Point Arguello, California; Pillar Point (San Mateo County), California; Kokee Park (Kauai County), Hawaii; South Point (Hawaii County), Hawaii; Canton, Midway, and Wake Islands in the mid-Pacific; Eniwetok and Bikini Atolls in the Marshall Islands; and six range instrumented ships (Huntsville, Longview, Range Tracker, Richfield, Sunnyvale, and Watertown).

By 1968, the AFWTR fleet had increased to eleven ships and was also supporting NASA's manned space program at Cape Canaveral, Florida. As land-based tracking and monitoring systems became increasingly more accurate and reliable, AFWTR retired from service its range ships the last one, USNS Sunnyvale, in January 1975. Likewise, most of the fixed instrumentation sites were transferred to other agencies.

Although geographically the range extends westward to the middle of the Indian Ocean, the only instrumentation sites presently comprising the downrange portion of the Western Range are at the Hawaiian Islands (augmented with instrumentation sites from other organizations), and the Army's missile range at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The uprange or California sites are located at Vandenberg AFB, Santa Ynez Peak (Santa Barbara County), Anderson Peak (Monterey County), and Pillar Point Air Force Station (San Mateo County). Additional support is garnered from the naval facilities at Point Mugu and Laguna Peak (Ventura County), as well as from San Nicholas Island off the coast from Point Mugu. The 30th Space Wing's Western Range instrumentation sites are operated and maintained by ITT/Federal Services Corporation.

In 1995 the California Spaceport, operated by Spaceport Systems International was created at Vandenberg. The U.S. Air Force awarded a 25 year lease which included a payload processing facility and more than 100 acres of land for commercial launch facility construction.

The FAA-certified California Spaceport took advantage of Vandenberg's existing launch pads, runways, payload processing facilities, telemetry and tracking equipment. Work was completed in 2004 to build a rolling access gantry to support Minuteman and future Peacekeeper space booster derivatives. A new SLC-8 gantry was installed in 2005.

The Spaceport Systems International Commercial Launch Facility (CLF) Site was located just south of SLC-6 next to the evaporation ponds. The concern's Integrated Processing Facility (IPF) was originally built for the Space Shuttle Program at a cost in excess of $300 million. The building was designed to process three shuttle-class payloads simultaneously. The vertical sliding doors were modified to allow the transfer of encapsulated payloads from the IPF in support of EELV and other launch programs.

Launch Pads
  • Name: Silo field 395. Vandenberg 395. Latitude: 34.7693 N. Longitude: 120.5637 W. Launch Pads: 6. Titan 1, Titan 2. Single launch complex consisting of 6 launch pads.
  • Name: Complex BMRS. Vandenberg BMRS. Latitude: 34.7755 N. Longitude: 120.5912 W. Launch Pads: 3. AMROC IRR, Atlas F. Single launch complex consisting of 3 launch pads.
  • Name: BOMARC launchers. Vandenberg Bomarc. Launch Pads: 2. Bomarc. Single launch complex consisting of 2 launch pads.
  • Name: Commercial Launch Facility. Vandenberg CLF. Latitude: 34.5764 N. Longitude: 120.6324 W. Launch Pads: 1. Minotaur.
  • Name: Point Arguello Warning Area Drop Zone, Pacific Ocean. Vandenberg RW30. Latitude: 36.0000 N. Longitude: 123.0000 W. Launch Pads: 2. Pegasus, Pegasus XL. Single launch complex consisting of 2 launch pads.
  • Name: Silo Lift Test Facility. Vandenberg SLTF. Latitude: 34.8016 N. Longitude: 120.5405 W. Launch Pads: 1. Titan 1.
Vandenberg
Credit - © Mark Wade
Vandenberg Chronology
  • 1950 August 7 - Camp Cooke reactivated Camp Cooke reactivated and used during the Korean War as an armored and infantry training site.

  • 1953 February 1 - Camp Cooke again inactivated. (Future Vandenberg)

  • 1956 November 16 - Vandenberg selected as first ICBM base. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Department of Defense transferred northern portion of Camp Cooke, Calif. (now Vandenberg AFB), to the Air Force to be used as first ICBM base. The Secretary of Defense directed the United States Army to transfer 64,000 acres of Camp Cooke's 86,000 acres to the Air Force.

  • 1957 April 23 - Vandenberg AFB established by ARDC Vandenberg AFB established by Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) on the north 64,047 acres (approximately 100 square miles) of what was then Camp Cooke.

  • 1957 May 9 - Start of new construction. Start of new construction and major rehabilitation at Camp Cooke.

  • 1957 July 1 - First Atlas wing activated at Cooke AFB. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Air Research and Development Command activated the 704th Strategic Missile Wing (Atlas) at Cooke AFB.

  • 1958 January 1 - Cooke AFB transferred to SAC Cooke AFB (with major operational and training units) transferred from Air Research and Development Command to Strategic Air Command. Launch facility construction as well as research and development activities at Cooke AFB were the responsibility of the A

  • 1958 February 14 - 19,861 acres of Camp Cooke transferred to Navy 19,861 acres of South Camp Cooke transferred from the Army to the Navy on interim permit basis (actual transfer on 27 May).

  • 1958 March 5 - Joint Navy-Air Force Agreement defines PMR The Joint Navy-Air Force (Burke-White) Agreement was completed. This agreement defined the areas of responsibility between the projected Pacific Missile Range and Cooke Air Force Base.

  • 1958 April 4 - U.S. Naval Missile Facility at Point Arguello Establishment of the U.S. Naval Missile Facility at Point Arguello, the southern portion of former Camp Cooke (facility formally commissioned on 10 May).

  • 1958 June 16 - Formal establishment of Pacific Missile Range Formal establishment of the Navy's Pacific Missile Range (with its headquarters at Point Mugu and its major launch head at Point Arguello).

  • 1958 October 4 - Cooke AFB redesignated Vandenberg AFB Cooke AFB redesignated Vandenberg AFB, honoring the late General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, the Air Force's second Chief of Staff. Vandenberg AFB, first operational ICBM base in free world, was dedicated.

  • 1958 December 16 - First missile launch from Vandenberg AFB First missile launch from Vandenberg AFB - a Thor intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM). The mission was a success.

  • 1959 January 4 - Vandenberg AFB / PMR operaitonal. Vandenberg Air Force Base and the Pacific Missile Range declared officially operational for firings.

  • 1959 September 1 - Atlas D ICBM operational. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. USAF Atlas ICBM officially declared operational and taken over by the Strategic Air Command, at Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1960 July 1 - Major expansion of Pacific Missile Range Major expansion of Pacific Missile Range with acquisition of Eniwetok and Kwajalein Atolls in the Marshall Islands by the United States Navy for instrumentation complexes (in support of Air Force launches from Vandenberg AFB).

  • 1962 April 26 - First West Coast launch of a Scout space booster.

  • 1962 June 8 - Last launch of a Thor IRBM from Vandenberg Launch Vehicle: Thor. Last launch of a Thor IRBM from Vandenberg. (First launch and first missile fired from Vandenberg AFB on 16 December 1958.)

  • 1962 September 28 - First international satellite launch - Vandenberg

  • 1963 February 28 - First use of a Thrust-Augmented-Thor/Agena First use of a Thrust-Augmented-Thor/Agena space booster at Vandenberg.

  • 1963 September 28 - Initial launch of Thor/Able-Star from Vandenberg

  • 1963 November 4 - First launch in the ABRES program First launch in the Advanced Ballistic Reentry System (ABRES) program at Vandenberg AFB. Vehicle used for this mission was an Atlas D.

  • 1964 July 1 - Point Arguello transferred to Air Force Point Arguello (nearly 20,000 acres) transferred from the Navy to the Air Force and annexed to Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1965 January 18 - Initial West Coast launch of a Thor/Altair.

  • 1965 February 1 - AFWTR replaces PMR. Five months ahead of the original schedule, Air Force Western Test Range (AFWTR) assumed responsibilities for intercontinental ballistic missile and space vehicle support functions from the Navy's Pacific Missile Range.

  • 1965 August 13 - Last launch of Thor/Able-Star from Vandenberg AFB. Last launch of Thor/Able-Star from Vandenberg AFB. (first launch on 28 September 1963).

  • 1965 August 25 - MOL to be launched from Canaveral and Vandenberg Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M. DoD revealed that newly-authorized Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program (announced by President Lyndon Johnson the same day) would be launched from both the Air Force Eastern and Western Test Ranges.

  • 1965 November 28 - Last Thor/Agena launch from Vandenberg AFB Last Thor/Agena launch from Vandenberg AFB (first mission on 28 February 1959).

  • 1966 March 1 - Vandenberg, adds 14,890 acres Vandenberg, adding approximately 14,890 acres to the base and increasing its size to its present 98,400 acres.

  • 1966 March 12 - Start of construction (site preparation) for SLC-6 Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Start of construction (site preparation) for Space Launch Complex 6 facilities at former Sudden Ranch property.

  • 1966 March 30 - Final mission of the Thor/Altair from Vandenberg Launch Vehicle: Thor. Final mission of the Thor/Altair from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 18 January 1965).

  • 1966 June 29 - Initial launch of a satellite by Titan IIIB/Agena Launch Vehicle: Titan 3B. Nation's initial launch of a satellite by a Titan IIIB/Agena space booster (first launch of a Titan III from Vandenberg AFB).

  • 1966 August 9 - Initial launch of a Long Tank Thor/Agena D Initial launch of a Long Tank Thor/Agena D (Thorad/Agena D) space booster.

  • 1966 September 15 - First launch of a Thor/Burner II from Vandenberg

  • 1966 October 2 - First Thor/Delta launch at Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1966 December 29 - 123 launches from Vandenberg in one year Liftoff of a Thrust-Augmented-Thor/Agena D space booster combination marked the 123rd major launch operation from Vandenberg AFB since January. This annual launch record remains unbroken 30 years later.

  • 1967 January 11 - First and only launch of a Castor/Scramjet First and only launch of a Castor/Scramjet from Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1967 March 17 - AFWTR assumed operational control of Vanguard AFWTR assumed operational control of the range Instrumentation Ship, Vanguard

  • 1967 April 19 - Last of three successful Atlas/Prime missions Last of three successful Atlas/Prime missions from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 21 December 1966).

  • 1968 January 17 - Final launch of a Thrust-Augmented-Thor/Agena Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Final launch of a Thrust-Augmented-Thor/Agena space booster from Vandenberg (first launch on 28 February 1963).

  • 1969 June 10 - MOL Program cancelled Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Department of Defense announced cancellation of the planned Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program from Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg AFB. The cancellation was expected to save $ 1.5 billion of the projected total $ 3.0 billion program costs. The SLC-6 launch facility at Vandenberg, 90% complete, would be finished and mothballed. MOL reconnaisance systems useful on unmanned satellites would be completed for a total cost of $ 225 million. Ten thousand aerospace workers were laid off as a result of the cancellation.

  • 1969 October 1 - Eniwetok Atoll placed on a caretaker status

  • 1971 June 8 - Final launch of the Thor/Burner II Final launch of the Thor/Burner II from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 15 September 1966).

  • 1971 June 15 - Initial launch of a Titan IIID space booster Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Initial launch of a Titan IIID space booster from Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1971 October 14 - The first of eight Thor/Burner IIA launches The first of eight Thor/Burner IIA launches from Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1972 May 25 - Last launch of a Thorad/Agena from Vandenberg AFB Last launch of a Thorad/Agena from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 9 August 1966).

  • 1972 October 2 - Last of two Atlas/Burner II space launches Last of two Atlas/Burner II space launches from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 16 August 1968).

  • 1974 October 12 - Final use of an Atlas booster in ABRES Final use of an Atlas booster in the Advanced Ballistic Reentry System (ABRES) program.

  • 1975 January 1 - The USNS Sunnyvale decommissioned. The USNS Sunnyvale, the last Air Force Western Test Range instrumentation ship, transferred to the Maritime Administration.

  • 1975 May 23 - First use of the Minuteman I booster for ABRES First use of the Minuteman I booster, replacing the Atlas, for the ABRES program.

  • 1976 February 8 - Final launch of a Thor/Burner IIA from Vandenberg Final launch of a Thor/Burner IIA from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 14 October 1971).

  • 1976 September 11 - Initial launch of a Thor/Block 5D-I Initial launch of a Thor/Block 5D-I from the West Coast.

  • 1977 June 26 - Final launch of an Atlas/Agena booster/upper stage Final launch of an Atlas/Agena booster/upper stage combination from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 11 October 1 960).

  • 1977 December 29 - Vandenberg AFB brush fire consumed 9,040 acres South Vandenberg AFB brush fire consumed 9,040 acres and claimed the lives of the base commander, both fire chiefs, and a civilian bulldozer operator.

  • 1979 January 1 - Demolition and construction work began at SLC-6 Demolition and construction work began at Space Launch Complex 6 in preparation for the Space Shuttle program.

  • 1979 August 15 - Ferry flight, Ogden to Vandenberg AFB Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), Ogden to Vandenberg AFB (2 hours, 20 minutes)

  • 1980 July 14 - Fifth and final launch of a Thor/Block 5D-I Fifth and final launch of a Thor/Block 5D-I from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 11 September 1976).

  • 1981 June 23 - Final launch of an Atlas F booster from Vandenberg Final launch of an Atlas F booster from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 1 August 1962).

  • 1982 November 17 - Final launch of a Titan IIID Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Final launch of a Titan IIID from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 1 5 June 1971).

  • 1983 February 9 - Initial launch of an Atlas H space booster.

  • 1983 June 17 - First Peacekeeper missile launch.

  • 1983 June 20 - First of seven Titan 34D launches Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D. First of seven Titan 34D launches from the West Coast.

  • 1983 November 8 - Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery at Vandenberg AFB Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery at Vandenberg AFB for a series of fit checks at the orbiter lifting frame.

  • 1984 November 16 - The Space Shuttle orbiter Enterprise arrives The Space Shuttle orbiter Enterprise arrived at Vandenberg AFB for a series of facility verification tests.

  • 1985 February 6 - USAF Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. Atlas F

  • 1985 August 23 - First Peacekeeper ICBM "cold launch" First Peacekeeper ICBM 'cold launch' from an underground silo (LF08). First eight launches conducted from an above ground launch stand at Test Pad 01.

  • 1985 October 15 - SLC-6 declared operational for shuttle flights Space Launch Complex 6, site of future Space Shuttle operations, declared operational. However, much additional work and testing required.

  • 1985 October 22 - First launch of Ground Launch Cruise Missile First launch of Ground Launch Cruise Missile from Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1987 February 11 - Last launch of the Titan IIIB/Agena Launch Vehicle: Titan 3B. Last launch of the Titan IIIB/Agena (first launch on 29 July 1966).

  • 1987 May 15 - Last Atlas H launch Last Atlas H launch (first launch on 9 February 1983).

  • 1987 November 9 - Last launch of a Minuteman II Last launch of a Minuteman II (first launch from Vandenberg AFB on 18 August 1965).

  • 1988 May 13 - SLC-6 ordered to be mothballed Air Force Secretary Edward C. Aldridge, Jr., directed the Air Force to begin mothballing the Space Shuttle program at Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1988 September 5 - First Titan 2 standard launch vehicle launch Launch Vehicle: Titan 2. First Titan II standard launch vehicle (SLV), a refurbished and modified Titan II ICBM, launched from Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1988 November 6 - Final Titan 34D launch from Vandenberg AFB Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D. Final Titan 34D launch from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 20 June 1983).

  • 1989 May 11 - Initial launch of the Small ICBM.

  • 1989 September 20 - Space Launch Complex 6 placed on mothball status.

  • 1989 October 1 - Inactivation of HQ SAMTO at Vandenberg AFB. Inactivation of HQ SAMTO at Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1989 October 5 - First commercial launch attempt First attempt by a commercial firm, American Rocket Company (AMROC), to launch its SET-l/SMLV (Single Engine Test - 1/Single Module Launch Vehicle) failed on the pad at Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1990 June 6 - Completion of Peacekeeper Rail Garrison system Completion of Peacekeeper Rail Garrison system facilities at Vandenberg AFB.

  • 1990 August 1 - Troops from the 30th Space Wing began deployed Troops from the 30th Space Wing began deployment to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Shield.

  • 1990 August 5 - First flight of the air-launched Pegasus LV First flight of the air-launched Pegasus space booster employing a B-52 carrier aircraft over the Western Range.

  • 1991 January 15 - Space Command takes over Vandenberg AFB from SAC. Host base responsibilities for Vandenberg AFB transferred from Strategic Air Command to Air Force Space Command.

  • 1991 April 18 - Second and final launch of the Small ICBM missile Second and final launch of the Small ICBM missile (first launch on 11 May 1989).

  • 1991 November 19 - WSMC and ESMC redesignated 30th Space Wing WSMC and ESMC redesignated 30th Space Wing and 45th Space Wing, respectively. Simultaneously, the word 'Test' was removed from the geographic designation, 'Western Test Range.'

  • 1994 February 4 - Initial demonstration flight of the Astrid Initial demonstration flight of the Astrid (Advanced Single Stage Rapid Insertion) interceptor vehicle.

  • 1994 March 13 - First launch of the Taurus space booster.

  • 1994 May 8 - Final launch of the Scout booster from Vandenberg Final launch of the Scout booster from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 26 April 1962).

  • 1995 March 24 - Final launch of an Atlas E booster from Vandenberg Final launch of an Atlas E booster from Vandenberg AFB (first launch on 7 June 1961).

  • 1995 August 15 - First launch from SLC-6 (Athena-1) First launch from Space Launch Complex 6 involved the Lockheed Launch Vehicle I (LLV-1), carrying the commercial satellite GEMSTAR.

  • 2004 December 10 - GBI Deployment at Vandenberg Launch Vehicle: OBV. The first of two operational anti-ballistic missiles to be deployed during 2005 at Vandenberg AFB was lowered into its underground silo. This marked the first installation in the continental United States.

Bibliography and Further Reading
  • McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
  • Official Site of the Topic, Information obtained from the manufacturer or operator's official web site.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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