Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 4

Space Launch Complex 4

Final Titan IV launch from SLC-4E in 2005
Launch site Vandenberg AFB
Location 34.632706°N
120.613393°W
Short name SLC-4
Operator US Air Force
SpaceX (4E from 2011)
Total launches 163
Launch pad(s) 2
Min / max
orbital inclination		 51° – 145°
SLC-4W (PALC-2-3) launch history
Status Being converted to a landing pad for Falcon 9
Launches 93
First launch 12 July 1963
Atlas-Agena D / OPS-1467
Last launch 18 October 2003
Titan 23G / USA-172
Associated
rockets		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D
Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D
Titan IIIB
Titan 23G
SLC-4E (PALC-2-4) launch history
Status Active
Launches 70
First launch 14 August 1964
Atlas-Agena D / OPS 3802
Last launch 17 January 2016
Falcon 9 v1.1 / Jason-3
Associated
rockets		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D
Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D
Titan IIID
Titan 34D
Titan IV
Falcon 9
Falcon Heavy (future)

Space Launch Complex 4 (SLC-4) is a launch and landing site at Vandenberg Air Force Base with two pads, both of which are used by SpaceX for Falcon 9 launch operations.

The complex was previously used by Atlas and Titan rockets between 1963 and 2005. It consisted of two launch pads, SLC-4W and SLC-4E, which were formerly designated PALC2-3 and PALC2-4 respectively. Both pads were built for use by Atlas-Agena rockets, but were later rebuilt to handle Titan rockets. The designation SLC-4 was applied at the time of the conversion to launch Titans.[1]

Both pads at Space Launch Complex 4 are currently leased by SpaceX. SLC-4E is leased as a launch site for the Falcon 9 rocket, which first flew from Vandenberg on 29 September 2013, following a 24-month refurbishment program which had started in early 2011.[2][3] SpaceX began a five-year lease of Launch Complex 4 West in February 2015 in order to use that area as a landing pad to bring back VTVL Return-To-Launch-Site (RTLS) first-stage boosters of the reusable Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles.

SLC-4E

Atlas-Agena

The first launch from PALC2-4 occurred on 14 August 1964, when a KH-7 satellite was launched by an Atlas-Agena D. After 27 Atlas-Agena launches, the last of which was on 4 June 1967, the complex was deactivated.

Titan IIID

Titan IIID launch from SLC-4E

During 1971 the complex was reactivated and refurbished for use by the Martin Marietta Titan III launch vehicles. The Titan IIID made its maiden flight from SLC-4E on 15 June 1971, launching the first KH-9 Hexagon satellite.[4] The first KH-11 Kennan satellite was launched from the complex on 19 December 1976.[5] All 22 Titan IIIDs were launched from SLC-4E, with the last occurring on 17 November 1982.

Titan 34D

The complex was then refurbished to accommodate the Martin Marietta Titan 34D. Seven Titan 34Ds were launched between 20 June 1983, and 6 November 1988. SLC-4E hosted one of the most dramatic launch accidents in US history when a Titan 34D carrying a KH-9 satellite exploded just above the pad on April 18, 1986. The enormous blast showered the launch complex with debris and toxic propellant, resulting in extensive damage. 16 months after the accident, the pad was back in commission when it hosted a successful launch of a KH-11 satellite.[6]

Titan IV

The last type to use the complex was the Titan IV, starting on 8 March 1991, with the launch of Lacrosse 2. On 19 October 2005, the last flight of a Titan rocket occurred, when a Titan IVB was launched from SLC-4E, with an Improved Crystal satellite. Following this launch, the complex was deactivated, having been used for 68 launches.

Falcon

Inaugural Falcon 9 v1.1 with the CASSIOPE mission on the SLC-4 pad, during September 2013.
Inaugural mission of the Falcon 9 v1.1 from SLC-4E on September 2013

SpaceX refurbished SLC–4E for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches,[7] in a 24-month process that began in early 2011.[2] The draft environmental impact assessment with a finding of "no significant impact" was published in February 2011.[2] Demolition began on the pad's fixed and mobile service towers in summer 2011.[3]

By late 2012, SpaceX continued to anticipate that the initial launch from the Vandenberg pad would be in 2013, but would be a Falcon 9 launch—actually, a heavily modified and much larger Falcon 9 v1.1.[8] As the pad was nearing completion in February 2013, the first Falcon 9 launch was scheduled for summer 2013,[9] but was launched on 29 September 2013, and was the maiden flight of the Falcon 9 v1.1 configuration, carrying Canada's CASSIOPE satellite.[10]

Upcoming Launches

Estimated Date (GMT) Launch Vehicle Launch Site Trajectory Payload Remarks
2016[11] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E SSO FORMOSAT 5[12][13]
July 2016[14][15][16][17] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E LEO Iridium NEXT 1-10[18]

[19]

 First launch of a contract for Iridium NEXT's 70 satellites. 10 satellite are launched per mission.
October 2016[14][17] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E LEO Iridium NEXT 11-20[18]
2016[14] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E LEO Iridium NEXT 21-30[15][18]
2016[14] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E LEO Iridium NEXT 31-40[15][18]
2016[14] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E LEO Iridium NEXT 41-50[15][18]
2016 (November) [12]

[20]

 F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E SSO SAOCOM 1A
2017[14] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E LEO Iridium NEXT 51-60[15][18]
2017[14] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E LEO Iridium NEXT 61-70[15][18] Last contract of the Iridium NEXT contract.
2017 (October) [20] F9 FT VAFB SLC-4E SSO SAOCOM 1B

Launch history

Date/Time (GMT) Launch Vehicle Serial Numbers Launch Site Trajectory Result Payload Remarks
1964-10-08
 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7103 VAFB SLC-4E LEO (target) Failure KH-7 Gambit 4012 Agena engine malfunction. RSO destruct
1964-12-04
18:57		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7105 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4014
1965-04-03
21:25		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7401 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful SNAPSHOT First and only nuclear reactor powered American satellite.
1965-04-28
20:17		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7107 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4017
1965-05-27
19:30		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7108 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4018
1965-06-25
19:30		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7109 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4019
1965-07-12
19:00		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7112 VAFB SLC-4E LEO (target) Failure KH-7 Gambit 4020 Premature sustainer shutdown due to electrical malfunction. Vehicle impacted the Pacific Ocean.
1965-08-03
19:12		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7111 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4021
1965-09-30
19:20		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7110 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4022
1965-11-08
19:26		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7113 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4023
1966-01-19
20:10		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7114 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4024
1966-02-15
20:30		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7115 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4025
1966-03-18
20:30		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7116 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4026
1966-04-19
19:12		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7117 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4027
1966-05-14
18:30		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7118 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4028
1966-06-03
19:25		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7119 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4029
1966-07-12
17:57		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7120 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4030
1966-08-16
18:30		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7121 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4031
1966-08-19
19:30		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7202 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful Midas 11
1966-09-16
17:59		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7123 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4032
1966-10-12
19:15		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7122 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4033
1966-11-02
20:23		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7124 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4034
1966-12-05
21:09		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7125 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4035
1967-02-02
20:00		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7126 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4036
1967-05-22
18:30		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7127 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4037
1967-06-04
18:07		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7128 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful KH-7 Gambit 4038
1971-06-15
18:41		 Titan III(23)D 23D-1 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-8709 (KH-9) Maiden flight of Titan IIID
1972-01-20
18:36		 Titan III(23)D 23D-2 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-1737 (KH-9)
SSF-B-22
1972-07-07
17:46		 Titan III(23)D 23D-5 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-7293 (KH-9)
SSF-B-23
1972-10-10
18:03		 Titan III(23)D 23D-3 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-8314 (KH-9)
SSF-C-3
1973-03-09
21:00		 Titan III(23)D 23D-6 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-8410 (KH-9)
1973-06-13
20:24		 Titan III(23)D 23D-7 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-8261 (KH-9)
1973-11-10
20:09		 Titan III(23)D 23D-8 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-6630 (KH-9)
SSF-B-24
SSF-C-4
1974-04-10
20:20		 Titan III(23)D 23D-9 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-6245 (KH-9)
SSF-B-25
IRCB
1974-10-29
19:30		 Titan III(23)D 23D-4 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-7122 (KH-9)
OPS-8452 (S3)
SSF-B-26
1975-06-08
18:30		 Titan III(23)D 23D-10 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-6381 (KH-9)
SSF-C-5
1975-12-04
20:38		 Titan III(23)D 23D-13 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-4428 (KH-9)
OPS-5547 (S3)
1976-07-08
18:30		 Titan III(23)D 23D-14 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-4699 (KH-9)
OPS-3986 (S3)
SSF-D-1
1976-12-19
18:19		 Titan III(23)D 23D-15 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-5705 (KH-11)
1977-06-27
18:30		 Titan III(23)D 23D-17 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-4800 (KH-9)
1978-03-16
18:43		 Titan III(23)D 23D-20 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-0460 (KH-9)
SSF-D-2
1978-06-14
18:28		 Titan III(23)D 23D-18 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-4515 (KH-11)
1979-03-16
18:30		 Titan III(23)D 23D-21 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-3854 (KH-9)
SSF-D-3
1980-02-07
21:10		 Titan III(23)D 23D-19 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-2581 (KH-11)
1980-06-18
18:29		 Titan III(23)D 23D-16 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-3123 (KH-9)
SSF-C-6
1981-09-03
18:29		 Titan III(23)D 23D-22 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-3984 (KH-11)
1982-05-11
18:45		 Titan III(23)D 23D-24 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-5642 (KH-9)
SSF-D-4
1982-11-17
21:22		 Titan III(23)D 23D-23 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-9627 (KH-11) Final flight of Titan IIID
1983-06-20
18:45		 Titan 34D 4D-3 34D-5 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful OPS-0721 (KH-9)
SSF-C-7
1984-06-25
18:43		 Titan 34D 4D-1 34D-4 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-2 (KH-9)
USA-3 (SSF-D)
1984-12-04
18:00		 Titan 34D 4D-4 34D-6 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-6 (KH-11)
1985-08-28
21:20		 Titan 34D 4D-6 34D-7 VAFB SLC-4E LEO (target) Failure KH-11 First stage propellant leak leading to turbopump failure and RSO destruct
1986-04-18
17:45		 Titan 34D 4D-2 34D-9 VAFB SLC-4E LEO (target) Failure KH-9 SRM burnthrough, exploded 8.5 seconds after launch
Last KH-9 Hexagon satellite
1987-10-26
21:32		 Titan 34D 4D-8 34D-15 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-27 (KH-11)
1988-11-06
18:03		 Titan 34D 4D-7 34D-14 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-33 (KH-11)
1991-03-08
12:03		 Titan IV(403)A 45F-1 4A-5 K-5 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-69 (Lacrosse) Maiden flight of Titan 403A
1991-1108
07:07		 Titan IV(403)A 45F-2 4A-8 K-8 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-72 (SLDCOM)
USA-74 (NOSS)
USA-76 (NOSS)
USA-77 (NOSS)
1992-11-28
21:34		 Titan IV(404)A 45J-1 4A-3 K-3 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-86 (KH-12) Maiden flight of Titan 404A
1993-08-02
19:59		 Titan IV(403)A 45F-9 4A-11 K-11 VAFB SLC-4E LEO (target) Failure SLDCOM
3 x NOSS		 SRM exploded due to damage caused during maintenance on ground
1995-12-05
21:18		 Titan IV(404)A 45J-3 4A-15 K-15 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-116 (KH-12)
1996-05-12
21:32		 Titan IV(403)A 45F-11 4A-22 K-22 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-119 (SLDCOM)
USA-120 (NOSS)
USA-121 (NOSS)
USA-122 (NOSS)
USA-123 (TiPS)
USA-124 (TiPS)
1996-12-20
18:04		 Titan IV(404)A 45J-5 4A-13 K-13 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-129 (KH-12) NRO L-2, final flight of Titan 404A
1997-10-24
02:32		 Titan IV(403)A 45F-3 4A-18 K-18 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-133 (Lacrosse) Final flight of Titan 403A
1999-05-22
09:36		 Titan IV(404)B 4B-12 K-12 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-144 (Misty) Maiden flight of Titan 404B
2000-08-17
23:45		 Titan IV(403)B 4B-28 K-25 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-152 (Onyx) NRO L-11, Maiden flight of Titan 403B
2001-10-05
21:21		 Titan IV(404)B 4B-34 K-34 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-161 (KH-12) NRO L-14, Maiden flight of Titan 404B
2005-10-19
18:05		 Titan IV(404)B 4B-26 K-35 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Successful USA-186 (KH-12) NRO L-20, Final flight of Titan IV
2013-09-29
16:00		 Falcon 9 v1.1 Falcon 9 Flight 6 VAFB SLC-4E Polar orbit Successful CASSIOPE[21][22] First Falcon 9 v1.1 flight and first commercial mission. After payload separation the upper stage failed at a re-ignition test.
2016-01-17
18:42[23])		 Falcon 9 v1.1 Falcon 9 Flight 21 VAFB SLC-4E SSO Successful Jason-3[24] First launch of NASA and NOAA joint science mission under the NLS II launch contract (not related to NASA CRS or USAF OSP3 contracts), last flight of Falcon 9 v1.1

SLC-4W

History

A Titan 23G on SLC-4W

Atlas-Agena

The first launch to use what is now SLC-4 occurred on 12 July 1963, when an Atlas LV-3 Agena-D launched the first KH-7 Gambit reconnaissance satellite, from PALC2-3. Twelve Atlas-Agenas launches were conducted from PALC2-3, with the last occurring on 12 March 1965.

Titan IIIB

Following this, it was rebuilt as SLC-4W, a Titan launch complex. The first Titan launch from SLC-4W was a Titan IIIB, on 29 July 1966. All 70 Titan IIIB launches occurred from SLC-4W, with the last on 12 February 1987.

Titan 23G

After the retirement of the Titan IIIB, it became a Titan 23G launch site, and twelve Titan II launches, using the 23G orbital configuration, were conducted between 5 September 1988 and 18 October 2003. Following the retirement of the Titan 23G, SLC-4W was deactivated. 93 rockets were launched from SLC-4W.

SLC-4W was the site of the launch of Clementine, the only spacecraft to be launched from Vandenberg to the Moon, which was launched by a Titan 23G on 25 January 1994.

Launch history 1963–2003

Date/Time (GMT) Launch Vehicle Serial Numbers Launch Site Trajectory Result Payload Remarks
1963-07-12
20:46		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 201D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4001
1963-09-06
19:30		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 212D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4002
1963-10-25
18:59		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 224D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4003
1963-12-18
21:45		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 227D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4004
1964-02-25
18:59		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 285D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4005
1964-03-11
20:14		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 296D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4006
1964-04-23
16:19		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 351D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4007
1964-05-19
19:21		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 350D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4008
1964-07-06
18:51		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 352D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4009
1964-08-14
22:00		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 7101 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4010
1964-09-23
20:06		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 7102 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4011
1964-10-23
18:30		 Atlas LV-3 Agena-D 353D VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4013
1965-01-23
20:09		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7106 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4015
1965-03-12
19:25		 Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D 7104 VAFB SLC-4E LEO Success KH-7 Gambit 4016
29 July 1966
18:43		 Titan IIIB 3B-1 4751 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-3014 (KH-8) Maiden flight of Titan IIIB
28 September 1966
19:12		 Titan IIIB 3B-2 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4096 (KH-8)
14 December 1966
18:14		 Titan IIIB 3B-3 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-8968 (KH-8)
24 February 1967
19:55		 Titan IIIB 3B-4 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4204 (KH-8)
26 April 1967
18:00		 Titan IIIB 3B-5 VAFB SLC-4W LEO (target) Failure OPS-4243 (KH-8) Second stage lost thrust due to probable fuel line obstruction. Vehicle impacted the Pacific Ocean 600 miles downrange.
20 June
196716:19		 Titan IIIB 3B-8 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4282 (KH-8)
16 August 1967
17:02		 Titan IIIB 3B-9 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4886 (KH-8)
19 September 1967
18:28		 Titan IIIB 3B-10 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4941 (KH-8)
25 October 1967
19:15		 Titan IIIB 3B-11 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4995 (KH-8)
5 December 1967
18:45		 Titan IIIB 3B-12 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5000 (KH-8)
18 January 1968
19:04		 Titan IIIB 3B-13 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5028 (KH-8)
13 March 1968
19:55		 Titan IIIB 3B-14 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5057 (KH-8)
7 April 1968
17:00		 Titan IIIB 3B-15 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5105 (KH-8)
5 June 1968
17:31		 Titan IIIB 3B-16 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5138 (KH-8)
6 August 1968
16:33		 Titan IIIB 3B-17 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5187 (KH-8)
10 September 1968
18:30		 Titan IIIB 3B-18 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5247 (KH-8)
6 November 1968
19:10		 Titan IIIB 3B-19 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5296 (KH-8)
4 December 1968
19:23		 Titan IIIB 3B-20 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-6518 (KH-8)
22 January 1969
19:10		 Titan IIIB 3B-6 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7585 (KH-8)
4 March 1969
19:30		 Titan IIIB 3B-7 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4248 (KH-8)
15 April 1969
17:30		 Titan IIIB 3B-21 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5310 (KH-8)
3 June 1969
16:49		 Titan IIIB 3B-22 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-1077 (KH-8)
23 August 1969
16:00		 Titan III(23)B 23B-1 3B-23 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7807 (KH-8A) Maiden flight of Titan 23B
14 October 1969
18:10		 Titan III(23)B 23B-2 3B-24 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-8455 (KH-8A)
14 January 1970
18:43		 Titan III(23)B 23B-3 3B-24 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-6531 (KH-8A)
15 April 1970
15:52		 Titan III(23)B 23B-4 3B-26 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-2863 (KH-8A)
25 June 1970
14:50		 Titan III(23)B 23B-5 3B-27 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-6820 (KH-8A)
18 August 1970
14:45		 Titan III(23)B 23B-6 3B-28 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7874 (KH-8A)
23 October 1970
17:40		 Titan III(23)B 23B-7 3B-29 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7568 (KH-8A)
21 January 1971
18:28		 Titan III(23)B 23B-8 3B-30 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7776 (KH-8A)
21 March 1971
03:45		 Titan III(33)B 33B-1 3B-36 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-4788 (Jumpseat) Maiden flight of Titan 33B
22 April 1971
15:30		 Titan III(23)B 23B-9 3B-31 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7899 (KH-8A) Final flight of Titan 23B
12 August 1971
15:30		 Titan III(24)B 24B-1 3B-32 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-8607 (KH-8A) Maiden flight of Titan 24B
23 October 1971
17:16		 Titan III(24)B 24B-2 3B-33 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7616 (KH-8A)
16 February 1972
09:59		 Titan III(33)B 33B-2 3B-37 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya (target) Failure OPS-1844 (Jumpseat) Failed to reach orbit
17 March 1972
17:00		 Titan III(24)B 24B-3 3B-34 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-1678 (KH-8A)
20 May 1972
15:30		 Titan III(24)B 24B-4 3B-35 VAFB SLC-4W LEO (target) Failure OPS-6574 (KH-8A) Agena pressurization failure
1 September 1972
17:44		 Titan III(24)B 24B-5 3B-39 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-8888 (KH-8A)
21 December 1972
17:45		 Titan III(24)B 24B-6 3B-40 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-3978 (KH-8A)
16 May 1973
16:40		 Titan III(24)B 24B-7 3B-41 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-2093 (KH-8A)
26 June 1973
17:00		 Titan III(24)B 24B-9 3B-43 VAFB SLC-4W LEO (target) Failure OPS-4018 (KH-8A) First stage fuel tank rupture T+11 seconds.
21 August 1973
16:07		 Titan III(33)B 33B-3 3B-38 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-7724 (Jumpseat) Final flight of Titan 33B
27 September 1973
17:15		 Titan III(24)B 24B-8 3B-42 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-6275 (KH-8A)
13 February 1974
18:00		 Titan III(24)B 24B-10 3B-44 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-6889 (KH-8A)
6 June 1974
16:30		 Titan III(24)B 24B-11 3B-45 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-1776 (KH-8A)
14 August 1974
15:35		 Titan III(24)B 24B-12 3B-46 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-3004 (KH-8A)
10 March 1975
04:41		 Titan III(34)B 34B-1 3B-50 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-2439 (Jumpseat) Maiden flight of Titan 34B
18 April 1975
16:48		 Titan III(24)B 24B-14 3B-48 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4883 (KH-8A)
9 October 1975
19:15		 Titan III(24)B 24B-13 3B-47 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-5499 (KH-8A)
22 March 1976
18:14		 Titan III(24)B 24B-18 3B-52 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7600 (KH-8A)
2 June 1976
20:56		 Titan III(34)B 34B-5 3B-55 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-7837 (SDS)
6 August 1976
22:21		 Titan III(34)B 34B-6 3B-56 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-7940 (SDS)
15 September 1976
18:50		 Titan III(24)B 24B-17 3B-51 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-8533 (KH-8A)
13 March 1977
18:41		 Titan III(24)B 24B-19 3B-54 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-4915 (KH-8A)
23 September 1977
18:34		 Titan III(24)B 24B-23 3B-58 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7471 (KH-8A)
25 February 1978
05:00		 Titan III(34)B 34B-2 3B-49 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-6031 (Jumpseat)
5 August 1978
05:00		 Titan III(34)B 34B-7 3B-57 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-7310 (SDS)
28 May 1979
18:14		 Titan III(24)B 24B-25 3B-61 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-7164 (KH-8A)
13 December 1980
16:04		 Titan III(34)B 34B-3 3B-53 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-5805 (SDS)
28 February 1981
19:15		 Titan III(24)B 24B-24 3B-59 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-1166 (KH-8A)
24 April 1981
21:32		 Titan III(34)B 34B-8 3B-60 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Partial failure OPS-7225 (Jumpseat) Spacecraft failed to separate
21 January 1982
19:36		 Titan III(24)B 24B-26 3B-62 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-2849 (KH-8A HB)
15 April 1983
18:45		 Titan III(24)B 24B-27 3B-63 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-2925 (KH-8A)
31 July 1983
15:41		 Titan III(34)B 34B-9 3B-65 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success OPS-7304 (Jumpseat)
17 April 1984
18:45		 Titan III(24)B 24B-28 3B-67 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success OPS-8424 (KH-8A) Final flight of Titan 24B
28 August 1984
18:03		 Titan III(34)B 34B-4 3B-64 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success USA-4 (SDS)
8 February 1985
06:10		 Titan III(34)B 34B-10 3B-69 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success USA-9 (SDS)
12 February 1987
06:40 		Titan III(34)B 34B-51 3B-66 VAFB SLC-4W Molniya Success USA-21 (SDS) Final flight of Titan IIIB; Final use of Agena upper stage in any vehicle
5 September 1988
09:25		 Titan II(23)G 23G-1 B-56 B-98 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success USA-32 (Bernie) Maiden flight of Titan 23G
6 September 1989
01:49		 Titan II(23)G 23G-2 B-99 B-75 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success USA-45 (Bernie)
25 April 1992
08:53		 Titan II(23)G 23G-3 B-102 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success USA-81 (Bernie)
5 October 1993
17:56		 Titan II(23)G/Star-37XFP 23G-5 B-65 VAFB SLC-4W LEO (target) Failure Landsat 6 Star-37 failed to ignite
25 January 1994
16:34		 Titan II(23)G 23G-11 B-67 B-89 VAFB SLC-4W LEO[25] Success Clementine
DSPSE-ISA
4 April 1997
16:47		 Titan II(23)G/Star-37S 23G-6 B-106 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success USA-131 (DMSP)
13 May 1998
15:52		 Titan II(23)G/Star-37XFP 23G-12 B-72 B-80 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success NOAA-15
20 June 1999
02:15		 Titan II(23)G 23G-7 B-75 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success QuickSCAT
12 December 1999
17:38		 Titan II(23)G/Star-37XFP 23G-8 B-44 B-94 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success USA-147 (DMSP)
21 September
10:22		 Titan II(23)G/Star-37XFP 23G-13 B-39 B-96 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success NOAA-16
24 June 2002
18:23		 Titan II(23)G/Star-37XFP 23G-14 B-92 B-71 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success NOAA-17
6 January 2003
14:19		 Titan II(23)G 23G-4 B-72 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success Coriolis
18 October 2003
16:17		 Titan II(23)G/Star-37XFP 23G-9 B-107 VAFB SLC-4W LEO Success USA-172 (DMSP) Final flight of Titan II

After 2015: SpaceX landing pad

Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy landing pad

SpaceX signed a five-year lease of Launch Complex 4W in February 2015, in order to use the area to land reusable launch vehicles at the pad. The location will be used for vertical landing of Return-To-Launch-Site (RTLS) first-stage boosters of the Reusable Falcon 9 (F9R) and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles that are launched from SpaceX-leased launch pads at the adjacent SLC 4E launch pad.[26]

This novel use of SLC 4W had initially surfaced in July 2014 when NASASpaceFlight.com published that SpaceX was considering leasing SLC-4W for use as a RTLS vertical-landing facility for reusable first-stage boosters of the F9R and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles that would be launched from SLC-4E.[27]

Principal structures on the pad were demolished in September 2014 as refurbishment began.[28]

SpaceX has also signed a lease for an east coast RTLS landing pad—called Landing Zone 1—at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Air Force FOIA electronic reading room: List of launches from SLC-4 East and West" (PDF). USAF. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  2. 1 2 3 Scully, Janene (2011-02-05). "Report: Falcon plan OK for environment". Santa Maria Times. Santa Maria, California: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  3. 1 2 "SpaceX News". SpaceX. 15 August 2011. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Wade, Mark. "Titan". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  5. ↑ "Titan 3D". Gunther's Space Page. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  6. ↑ "The Space Review: Death of a monster". thespacereview.com. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "SpaceX announces launch date for FH".
  8. ↑ "SpaceX Gears Up for Launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base". Space News. 2012-11-12. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  9. ↑ "First look/SpaceX Launch Complex/Vandenberg AFB". dailybreeze.com. 2013-02-11. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
  10. ↑ Space.com, SpaceX Falcon 9 From Vandenberg AFB Near Perfect (accessed 5 August 2014)
  11. ↑ Karlie Lin (January 28, 2015). "National Space Organization to launch satellite to help predict earthquakes". The China Post. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  12. 1 2 "Launch Manifest - SpaceX". SpaceX. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "Formosat5 program description". NSPO. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 de Selding, Peter B. (March 3, 2015). "Iridium Next Deployment Delayed, Adding to SpaceX's 2017 Backlog". SpaceNews. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 de Selding, Peter B. (February 25, 2016). "Iridium: Change in launch plans. 1st launch now 10 sats on SpaceX Falcon 9 in July, not 2 sats in April on Russ/Ukraine Dnepr.". Space News. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  16. ↑ de Selding, Peter B. (February 25, 2016). "IRDM CEO Desch: SpaceX has confirmed to us that we will get a July launch slot for the first 10 Iridium Next satellites.". Space News. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  17. 1 2 de Selding, Peter B. (February 25, 2016). "IRDM's Desch: New launch plan means 3 months, not 4, between 1st and second launches -- 2d also SpaceX, in October -- but that's OK". Space News. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Largest Commercial Rocket Launch Deal Ever Signed by SpaceX". SpaceNews. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  19. ↑ "Elon Musk: SpaceX signs "biggest" commercial launch deal ever" (Press release). Orlando Sentinel. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  20. 1 2 Frulla, Laura (February 2005). "SAOCOM Mission Update" (PDF). CONAE. Retrieved 2015-05-10.
  21. ↑ Lindsey, Clark (2013-01-04). "NewSpace flights in 2013". NewSpace Watch. Retrieved 2013-01-03. (subscription required (help)).
  22. ↑ "Dragon Mission Report | Q&A with SpaceX founder and chief designer Elon Musk". Spaceflight Now. 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  23. ↑ "Launch Schedule | Spaceflight Now". spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved 2016-01-23.
  24. ↑ "SpaceX: Jason-3 Mission" (PDF). spacex.com. SpaceX. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  25. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalogue". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  26. 1 2 Clark, Stephen (17 February 2015). "SpaceX leases property for landing pads at Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  27. ↑ Bergin, Chris (2014-07-28). "SpaceX Roadmap building on its rocket business revolution". NASAspaceflight. Retrieved 2014-07-28. At this point, we are highly confident of being able to land successfully on a floating launch pad or back at the launch site and refly the rocket with no required refurbishment
  28. ↑ SpaceX Demolishes SLC-4W Titan Pad. YouTube. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2015.

Coordinates: 34°37′58″N 120°36′48″W / 34.632706°N 120.613393°W / 34.632706; -120.613393

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