Active 🇺🇸United States

Space Launch Complex 6

A launch pad at Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.14 launches have flown from it since August 1995, 12 of 14 successfully.

Launches
14
Success rate
85.7% 12/14
Failures
2
First flight
1995-08-15
Latest flight
2022-09-24
Busiest year
1999 2 flights
Fastest turnaround
129d 10h 20m

Location

Space Launch Complex 6

Pad record

Coordinates
34.5815° N
120.6262° W
Status
Active
LL2 pad tally
14 upstream count
Reference
Wikipedia

About this pad

Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is a launch pad and support area. The site was originally developed starting in 1966, but no launches occurred until 1995, as it was repurposed sequentially for three programs that were subsequently cancelled. Initially to be used for Titan IIIM rockets and the Manned Orbiting Laboratory, these were cancelled before construction of SLC-6 was complete. The complex was later rebuilt to serve as the west coast launch site for the Space Shuttle, but went unused due to budget, safety and political considerations. The pad was subsequently used for four Athena rocket launches before being modified to support the Delta IV launch vehicle family, which used the pad for ten launches from 2006 until 2022. The last Delta IV launched in September 2022, and SpaceX leased SLC-6 in 2023 to convert it to launch Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy starting in 2025.

Who launches from here

2 operators

Vehicles flown

6 types

Launches per year

decided flights
1995Peak 1999, 2 launches2022

Orbits delivered

4 destinations
Low Earth Orbit 7Sun-Synchronous Orbit 3Polar Orbit 2High Earth Orbit 1

Flight record

14 flights
DateMissionVehicleOperatorOrbitOutcome
2022-09-24Delta IV Heavy | NROL-91Delta IV HeavyUnited Launch AllianceLow Earth OrbitSuccess
2021-04-26Delta IV Heavy | NROL-82Delta IV HeavyUnited Launch AllianceSun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
2019-01-19Delta IV Heavy | NROL-71Delta IV HeavyUnited Launch AllianceLow Earth OrbitSuccess
2018-01-12Delta IV M+(5,2) | NROL-47Delta IV M+(5,2)United Launch AllianceLow Earth OrbitSuccess
2016-02-10Delta IV M+(5,2) | NROL-45 (Topaz-4) (USA-267)Delta IV M+(5,2)United Launch AllianceSun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
2013-08-28Delta IV Heavy | NROL-65 (USA-245 / KH-11)Delta IV HeavyUnited Launch AllianceLow Earth OrbitSuccess
2012-04-03Delta IV M+(5,2) | NROL-25 (FIA-R) (USA-234)Delta IV M+(5,2)United Launch Alliance–Success
2011-01-20Delta IV Heavy | NROL-49 (KH-11) (USA-224)Delta IV HeavyUnited Launch AllianceLow Earth OrbitSuccess
2006-11-04Delta IV M | DMSP F-17Delta IV M–Sun-Synchronous OrbitSuccess
2006-06-28Delta IV M+(4,2) | NROL-22Delta IV M+(4,2)–High Earth OrbitSuccess
1999-09-24Athena II | IkonosAthena IILockheed MartinPolar OrbitSuccess
1999-04-27Athena II | Ikonos 1Athena IILockheed MartinPolar OrbitFailure
1997-08-23Athena I | LewisAthena ILockheed MartinLow Earth OrbitSuccess
1995-08-15Athena I | Gemstar DSS-1Athena ILockheed MartinLow Earth OrbitFailure

Pad records from Launch Library 2. Flights and company identity fromSpace Index. How the numbers are derived.