Right now, the view is mostly open land, but leaders at Vandenberg Space Force Base say a site at the southernmost end of the base could be developed into a future super-heavy rocket launch pad.
The location, known as Space Launch Complex 14 (SLC-14), is located in an area called Sudden Flats. Vandenberg officials say the site is being considered as a potential launch location as the Space Force looks to expand heavy and super-heavy launch capability on the Central Coast.
“We’re currently standing at SLC-14, which we just released a request for information out to our industry partners to figure out what is the development plans from our industry partners at this location,” said Lt. Col. Kyle Rowland, Chief of Spaceport Integration at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Rowland said the request for information is aimed at identifying private companies interested in building and operating a launch pad at the site. Proposals are expected to be submitted by Feb. 12 and will then be reviewed to determine which meet national security requirements.
“After we receive the proposals, we’ll take some time to evaluate each one of the proposals,” Rowland said, adding that the Space Force will look at factors such as financial stability and whether a company has the ability to construct and operate at the remote location.
Base officials emphasized the federal government would not pay to build the launch pad itself. Instead, any company selected to move forward would be responsible for all construction and operational costs.
“The construction of the area will be the responsibility of the launch service provider chosen for that area,” Rowland said.
Vandenberg would, however, be responsible for the infrastructure connecting to the site, including roads, power and communications. Rowland said those upgrades would be funded through congressional appropriations to support national security space launch operations, and the exact boundary between base and developer responsibility would be determined later.
Before any construction could begin, the project would need to clear the environmental review process. Base officials told KSBY that if a respondent is selected to proceed, an Environmental Impact Statement would analyze potential impacts, including noise. They said it would be premature to speculate on what individual residents may experience until a specific launch capability is identified and the environmental review is completed.
Rowland said Vandenberg would remain responsible for safety and environmental oversight tied to launch operations at the base.
“Introducing heavy or super-heavy launch capability at Vandenberg is a priority for the Space Force,” Rowland said, citing the need to support evolving national security space missions and larger payloads.
As the number of launches from Vandenberg has increased, concerns have also been raised about how expanded activity could affect nearby communities.
U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, whose district includes Vandenberg, said innovation and national security benefits must be balanced with impacts on residents, the local economy and the environment.
“With increased launches, which is really good for our national security innovation, comes with unfortunate impacts on the local communities, and we need to do everything to achieve a balance,” Rep. Carbajal said.
Carbajal said his office has urged the Department of the Air Force and the U.S. Space Force to fully evaluate community, environmental and operational impacts as planning moves forward, noting the base has already made changes tied to launch timing and trajectories to help reduce impacts.
For now, the proposal remains in its early stages. Once submissions are reviewed, the Space Force will determine which proposals move forward and what the future of Space Launch Complex 14 could look like.
