Vandenberg Space Force Base is the main launch site on the US West Coast. It is on the central California coast, next to the city of Lompoc. Most of its launches are SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets carrying Starlink satellites.
In 2026 so far, 69 orbital rockets have launched from Vandenberg, and 69 of them were successful. The 2026 launch scoreboard has every launch site and country.
That count is orbital launches only. Vandenberg also launches missile tests that do not go into orbit, three in 2026 by 29 October according to the GCAT launch catalogue, so some reports give a higher total for the base.
Where is Vandenberg?
On the Pacific coast of Santa Barbara County, California. The main Falcon 9 pad is about 141 miles (227 km) from the centre of Los Angeles in a straight line. Our guide to seeing a Vandenberg launch from Los Angeles or San Diego has the distances from other cities.
Why do rockets launch from Vandenberg?
The base says its location makes it a safe place to put satellites into polar orbit, which passes over the North and South Poles, without flying over populated areas. Rockets fly south over the ocean. Rockets that need to head east, such as launches to the International Space Station, launch from Florida instead.
A short history
According to the base's history page:
- It started in August 1941 as Camp Cooke, a US Army training camp.
- It was handed to the US Air Force in 1957 and named Vandenberg Air Force Base on 4 October 1958.
- The first missile launch, a Thor, was on 16 December 1958.
- On 28 February 1959 a Thor/Agena rocket launched Discoverer 1, the world's first satellite in polar orbit.
- It was renamed Vandenberg Space Force Base on 14 May 2021.
- Landsat 9, on 27 September 2021, was the base's 2,000th launch.
Which launch pads are in use?
| Pad | Used by | Launches in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Space Launch Complex 4E | SpaceX Falcon 9 | 67 |
| Space Launch Complex 2W | Firefly Alpha | 1 |
| Space Launch Complex 8 | Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV | 1 |
The base says it has about 16 launch facilities and complexes in all, including sites used for missile tests.
What launches next from Vandenberg?
- Falcon 9 Block 5, Starlink Group 15-18: Fri 30 Oct, 20:48 PDT
- Falcon 9 Block 5, USSF-432: Mon 2 Nov, 17:42 PST
- Falcon 9 Block 5, Starlink Group 15-21: Thu 5 Nov, 18:21 PST
Times change often. See is there a Vandenberg launch today? and the next SpaceX launch from Vandenberg, which show California time and your own time.
Can I watch a launch?
Not from inside the base. Its Visitor Center is not open to the general public. People watch from outside, in and around Lompoc, and the city's tourism site lists places to watch from.
Launches just after sunset or before sunrise can often be seen from Los Angeles and sometimes from San Diego. See Can I see the launch? for every launch site used in 2026.
