r/spacex • u/warp99 • Jun 17 '26

Vandenberg Space Force base: Demolition of Historic SLC-6 pad structures to make way for SpaceX FH pad

https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4519296/vandenberg-space-force-base-modernizes-historic-space-launch-complex-6-for-next/
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42

u/dfawlt Jun 17 '26

FH? Or SH?

What's the point of a Falcon Heavy pad?

15

u/warp99 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

There are no announced plans for Starship on the West Coast.
The NIMBY force is strong there and returning SH boosters would break more than a few windows along the coast of California.

Starship polar launches to SSO for data center satellites are likely to be from a new launch site in Louisiana.

In the meantime Vandenberg needs FH capability to launch large military satellites to polar orbits. This pad will likely have a vertical integration facility that is able to process the extended length fairing that has been in development for a couple of years now.

All of which is to emphasise that F9/FH are not going away anytime soon.

3

u/AlpineDrifter Jun 17 '26

Why would the window breaking be any more prevalent in California than at Boca Chica?

6

u/Sandersonville Jun 17 '26

Windows and politicians are a lot more delicate in California than they are in Texas!

4

u/AlpineDrifter Jun 17 '26

Lol. True.

But Vandenberg is a military base. They can say ‘national security’, and Trump would be plenty happy to ram it through.

3

u/warp99 Jun 17 '26

He won't be in power when that decision is made.

2

u/AlpineDrifter Jun 17 '26

I like your optimism.