ABOUT 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.
