In a pivotal step forward for an increase in commercial spaceflight from the West Coast, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) has issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) authorizing sweeping changes to SpaceX’s launch and landing aspirations at the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The decision clears the path for the redevelopment of the historic Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6), enabling up to 100 annual Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches from the site. This marks a significant escalation from the current 50 launches per year at SLC-4E, positioning Vandenberg as a cornerstone for medium- and heavy-lift missions to polar and other orbits.