30th Space Wing

• The 30th Space Wing is responsible for launching satellites into polar orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. • Vandenberg Air Force Base was originally used as a missile testing range during the Cold War. • The first successful launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base was on December 16, 1958, when a Thor-Ablestar rocket placed the Discoverer 1 satellite into orbit. • The 30th Space Wing has a long history of launching military and civilian satellites for communication, reconnaissance, and weather forecasting. • Vandenberg Air Force Base is also used for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles and anti-missile defense systems. • In 2014, the 30th Space Wing successfully launched the first Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, marking a new era in commercial space flight from the West Coast. • The 30th Space Wing played a key role in Operation Sandblast, the first successful launch of a satellite into geostationary orbit in 1963. • The 30th Space Wing has a long-standing partnership with NASA, providing launch services for scientific missions such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Kepler Space Telescope. • The 30th Space Wing has earned numerous awards and commendations for their successful launch operations and mission support. • Vandenberg Air Force Base is one of the busiest space launch facilities in the United States, with dozens of launches conducted each year by the 30th Space Wing.