Vandenberg Space Force Base

Vandenberg Space Force Base is a United States Space Force installation in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941 as Camp Cooke, the site originally served as a United States Army training ground for armored and infantry divisions. The Department of Defense transferred the land to the United States Air Force in 1957, designating it Cooke Air Force Base until its 1958 renaming in honor of General Hoyt Vandenberg. The facility received its current Space Force designation in May 2021.

Space Launch Delta 30 serves as the host unit and operates the Western Range, a testing area extending from the California coast into the Pacific Ocean. The base facilitates military, civil, and commercial space launches alongside ballistic missile testing. Primary stationed units include the 30th Operations Group, 30th Mission Support Group, and 30th Medical Group. Additional organizations based at the installation include the 576th Flight Test Squadron, Space Delta 5, Space Delta 1, and the California Air National Guard's 195th Wing.

Infrastructure consists of multiple space launch complexes and an airfield. Space Launch Complex (SLC) 3E supports Atlas V launch vehicles, while SLC-4E is utilized for Falcon 9 operations. SLC-6, formerly configured for the Space Shuttle and Delta IV programs, is leased for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. Other active facilities include SLC-2W and SLC-576E. The airfield supports the landing of the Boeing X-37B uncrewed spacecraft. Current operational capabilities include testing for Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles and Ground-Based Interceptors for the Missile Defense Agency. The installation also houses the Space and Missile Heritage Center at SLC-10.