One of the most iconic launch sites in the world, Vandenberg Space Force Base’s Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6), will be leased by SpaceX. Confirmation came after Col. Rob Long, Space Launch Delta 30 (SLD 30) commander, signed a statement supporting SpaceX’s lease to launch Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy missions from the launch site. SLC-6 was under the stewardship of United Launch Alliance (ULA) for the launch of its west coast Delta rockets before vacating the site after its final Delta IV Heavy launch in Sept. 2022. The launch site was also famously set to become the west coast launch site for the Space Shuttle before plans were canceled in the mid-80s. Prior to ULA’s acquisition of the launch site, though, SLC-6’s history was one of cancellations. Work originally began on the complex on March 12, 1966, to support launches of a modified Titan III rocket in preparation for the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). With its polar orbit obligations, Vandenberg’s SLC-6 underwent extensive work to prepare the site for launching the series of 30-day missions. SLC-6 during its MOL period. (Credit: NSF/L2) However, the program was canceled three years later, placing SLC-6 into a mothballed status. Even before the…
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SpaceX SLC-6 takeover to mark a new chapter for a famous pad
