Military

California’s Vandenberg Becomes Third Space Force Base

May 18, 2021James R. Webb
Vandenberg space force base

An Air Force Global Strike Command unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Patrick Harrower, courtesy of DVIDS.

Vandenberg Air Force Base was officially renamed Vandenberg Space Force Base during a ceremony Friday, making it the third installation for America’s newest service branch. Before the ceremony, Vandenberg hosted the 30th Space Wing of the US Air Force. The unit will be renamed Space Launch Delta 30. According to the Air Force Times, the base handover comes as Space Force attempts to create a separate identity from that of the Air Force.


“The establishment of the U.S. Space Force is a significant step forward in recognition of space as a warfighting domain,” Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, Space Operations Command commander, said during the ceremony. “Renaming Air Force installations where space operations is the primary mission more closely reflects the overall mission of the base.”


Vandenberg Space Force
Col. Anthony Mastalir, Space Launch Delta 30 commander, and Maj. Gen. Deanna Burt, Combined Force Space Component Command commander, unveil Vandenberg’s new US Space Force name during a base renaming and 30th Space Wing re-designation ceremony May 14, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. US Space Force photo by Michael Peterson/released.

Vandenberg’s sister installations — Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — were renamed in December 2020. 


“Renaming these installations is critical to building a distinct culture and identity for the Space Force,” Whiting said. 


Vandenberg’s inclusion within the Space Force is a fitting move. The facility is one of only two US military installations that launch satellites and other spacecraft into orbit. Vandenberg is also the host of several military space-related organizations.


For decades, Vandenberg has been a focal point for missile development. Today, the base hosts testing for the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile and the Ground-Based Interceptor missile-defense system, both of which are still in development.


Vandenberg Space Force
Team Vandenberg launches the FormoSat-5 satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 on Aug. 24, 2017. US Air Force photo by Michael Peterson, courtesy of DVIDS.

First established in 1941 as “Camp Cooke,” Vandenberg initially supported ground operations during World War II. However, in 1957 and 1958, following the USSR’s successful launch of Sputnik 1, Vandenberg was renamed, transferred to the Air Force, and put under the control of Air Research and Development Command. From then on, Vandenberg has been central to the development and testing of both space flight and missile technology. 


Since 1958, there have been more than 1,980 launches from Vandenberg. While many of these launches related to nuclear missile development, the base was also the home of a major space milestone. In 1959, a rocket launched from a Vandenberg launchpad and put the world’s first polar-orbiting satellite into space, spurring a major shift in how the world communicated. Beyond that, Vandenberg has been a key component in the Department of Defense’s strategy of nuclear deterrence, as more than a dozen types of nuclear missiles have been tested at the base.


Vandenberg Space Force
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at 1:13 a.m. Pacific Time, Oct. 2, 2019, at Vandenberg Air Force Base (now Vandenberg Space Force Base), Calif. US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. J.T. Armstrong, courtesy of DVIDS.

 “For decades, Vandenberg Air Force Base has been a focal point — indeed, in many cases, the starting point for space operations across the Department of Defense and the Department of the Air Force. It has long been known as ‘Space Country,’ and that moniker is well-earned,” Maj. Gen. Deanna Burt, Combined Force Space Component Command commander and Space Operations Command deputy commander, said during the renaming ceremony. 


As Vandenberg moves forward into its new role as a major installation supporting Space Force, it will still technically be owned by the US Air Force. According to the Air Force Times, the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which was enacted on Jan. 1, precludes the Space Force from receiving a transfer of any installation until Washington lawmakers are briefed on the associated costs. That step has reportedly not yet occurred.


Regardless of which military branch technically owns the base, Vandenberg will still play a major role in the US military’s space programs. Some 14 launches are scheduled for 2021, including satellites to support SpaceX, according to the Air Force Times.


“We will always be Team Vandenberg.  Our nation expects that of us, and our profession demands nothing less,” Col. Anthony Mastalir, Space Launch Delta 30 commander, said during the renaming ceremony.


Read Next: Ukraine Plans ‘Cybertroop’ Force To Combat Russian Cyberwarfare



James R. Webb
James R. Webb

James Webb served as a US Marine infantryman from 2005 to 2010, completing a combat tour in Iraq. He’s worked as a freelance writer and photojournalist covering US troops in Afghanistan, and Webb spent more than two years in the US Senate as a military legislative assistant and as the personal representative of a member on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Coffee Or Die Photo
Get Your Viking On: The Exclusive 30 Sec Out BRCC Shirt Club Design

Thirty Seconds Out has partnered with BRCC for an exclusive shirt design invoking the God of Winter.

Grizzly Forge BRCC shirt
Limited Edition: Grizzly Forge Blades on an Awesome BRCC Shirt

Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.

BRCC Limited Edition Josh Raulerson Blackbeard Skull Shirt
From Naval Service to Creative Canvas: BRCC Veteran Artist Josh Raulerson

Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.

Medal of Honor is held up.
Biden Will Award Medal of Honor to Army Helicopter Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers in Vietnam Firefight

Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.

dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2024 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved