Where is Vandenberg Space Force Base?

Vandenberg Space Force Base is on the central California coast near Lompoc, run by Space Launch Delta 30. It is the United States' main West Coast launch site and flew its first orbital launch in 1959.

Which rockets launch from Vandenberg?

SpaceX flies Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E and lands boosters at the adjacent Landing Zone 4. The base hosts a range of other government and commercial launches as well.

Why do rockets launch from Vandenberg instead of Florida?

Vandenberg's coastline lets rockets fly south over the open Pacific without crossing populated land — ideal for the polar and sun-synchronous orbits used by Earth-observation, reconnaissance and weather satellites. Florida sites favour easterly, equatorial orbits.

Launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Name: Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Address: US

Upcoming and past rocket launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA — live countdowns, mission details, and launch history.

About Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Vandenberg Space Force Base is the United States' main West Coast launch site, run by Space Launch Delta 30 on the central California coast near Lompoc. It began as the Army's Camp Cooke in 1941 and flew its first orbital launch in 1959.

Vandenberg specialises in polar and sun-synchronous orbits: its coastline lets rockets fly south over the open Pacific without crossing populated land, which is ideal for Earth-observation, reconnaissance and weather satellites. SpaceX flies Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E and lands boosters at the adjacent Landing Zone 4.

Launch sitePublic viewing spot

Facts

Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
Total launches: 900
Total landings: 35
Coordinates: 34.7513, -120.5202
Operator: U.S. Space Force — Space Launch Delta 30
Active since: First orbital launch 1959 (founded 1941 as Camp Cooke)
Orbital focus
Active pad: SLC-4E (SpaceX Falcon 9) + Landing Zone 4

Launch pads

Where to watch

Vandenberg is an active military base with no on-base public viewing, so launches are watched from the surrounding towns and coast. The City of Lompoc publishes a public map of viewing corridors toward SLC-4E; views are distant but the whole sky lights up on a clear night.

City of Lompoc
The closest town, about 9 miles from the base, with parks and high ground giving broad views of launches.
Coast west of Lompoc
Open high ground and public coastline southwest of Lompoc, typically 10–20 miles from the pads.

Notable launches

Discoverer 1
28 Feb 1959
Thor Agena A · USAF
The first satellite placed into a polar orbit, launched on a Thor-Agena.
View launch details
Navstar 1
22 Feb 1978
Atlas F/SVS · USAF
The first GPS satellite launched from SLC-3E, beginning the global navigation constellation.
View launch details
Landsat 9
27 Sep 2021
Atlas V 401 · ULA
A NASA/USGS Earth-imaging satellite, continuing the longest-running record of Earth from space.
View launch details