First Atlas V Launch from Vandenberg and the West Coast

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An Atlas V stands on Space Launch Complex-3 during its mobile servicing tower rollback on March 12. Col. Steve Tanous, 30th Space Wing commander, will be the space lift commander for this mission. This will be the first Atlas V launched from Vandenberg and the west coast, as well as the first launch of the year. This milestone for Team Vandenberg is the product of the combined efforts of the 30th Space Wing, the National Reconnaissance Office, United Launch Alliance, the Space and Missile Systems Center, the Aerospace Corporation and more. SLC 3 was significantly modified to get ready for the next generation of space launch vehicles. The Atlas V will be its first launch since the modifications were completed. Previously used for 21 Atlas II launches, the pad received significant upgrades to accommodate the larger and more powerful booster. The tower was made taller, the overhang was extended with a much bigger crane, and the entire pad deck was reconfigured. The pad also features a brand new fixed launch platform. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

First Atlas V Launch from Vandenberg and the West Coast

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An Atlas V stands on Space Launch Complex-3 during its mobile servicing tower rollback on March 12. Col. Steve Tanous, 30th Space Wing commander, will be the space lift commander for this mission. This will be the first Atlas V launched from Vandenberg and the west coast, as well as the first launch of the year. This milestone for Team Vandenberg is the product of the combined efforts of the 30th Space Wing, the National Reconnaissance Office, United Launch Alliance, the Space and Missile Systems Center, the Aerospace Corporation and more. SLC 3 was significantly modified to get ready for the next generation of space launch vehicles. The Atlas V will be its first launch since the modifications were completed. Previously used for 21 Atlas II launches, the pad received significant upgrades to accommodate the larger and more powerful booster. The tower was made taller, the overhang was extended with a much bigger crane, and the entire pad deck was reconfigured. The pad also features a brand new fixed launch platform. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

Vandenberg launches Delta II, Italian weather satellite

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket carrying the Thales Alenia-Space COSMO-SkyMed Satellite launched from Vandenberg on Dec. 8 at 6:31 p.m. The rocket, second of two COSMO-SkyMed launches scheduled from Vandenberg, took off from Space Launch Complex-2. The Delta II is an expendable launch, medium-lift vehicle. It carries civil and commercial payloads into low-earth, polar, geosynchronous transfer and stationary orbits. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Moran)

Vandenberg launches Delta II carrying Italian weather sattelite

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket carrying the Thales Alenia-Space COSMO-SkyMed Satellite launched from Vandenberg on Dec. 8 at 6:31 p.m. The rocket, second of two COSMO-SkyMed launches scheduled from Vandenberg, took off from Space Launch Complex-2. The Delta II is an expendable launch, medium-lift vehicle. It carries civil and commercial payloads into low-earth, polar, geosynchronous transfer and stationary orbits. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Brian Webb

Team V launches heritage Delta II rocket, image satellite

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II bearing the WorldView-1 spacecraft launches from Space Launch Complex-2 West at 11:35 a.m. on Sept. 18. The DigitalGloble WorldView-1 spacecraft is a weather mapping satellite launched on the Air Force's 60th anniversary. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Team V launches heritage Delta II rocket, image satellite

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II bearing the WorldView-1 spacecraft launches from Space Launch Complex-2 West at 11:35 a.m. on Sept. 18. The DigitalGloble WorldView-1 spacecraft is a weather mapping satellite launched on the Air Force's 60th anniversary. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Team V launches heritage Delta II rocket, image satellite

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II bearing the WorldView-1 spacecraft launches from Space Launch Complex-2 West at 11:35 a.m. on Sept. 18. The DigitalGloble WorldView-1 spacecraft is a weather mapping satellite launched on the Air Force's 60th anniversary. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Rich Cassady)

Delta II carrying World-View 1 satellite to prepare for lift off

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket carrying the WorldView-1 satellite rolls back from Space Launch Complex-2 on Sept. 17 to prepare for launch on Sept. 18. The WorldView-1 satellite will provide commercial, high-resolution images of Earth for DigitalGlobe, which specializes in global commercial Earth imagery and geospatial information. (Courtesy photo)

Delta IV

A Delta IV rocket launches at 5:53 a.m. on Nov. 4 from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex-6. The rocket carried a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite in to space. The satellite will transition into a polar earth orbit to provide weather forcasts for servicemembers on battlefields around the world. (Photo by Thom Baur)

Go for launch

A Delta IV rocket launches at 5:53 a.m. on Nov. 4 from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex-6. The rocket carried a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite in to space. The satellite will transition into a polar earth orbit to provide weather forcasts for servicemembers on battlefields around the world. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Launch Summary

The last Titan IV spacecraft stands ready to lift off from Space Launch Complex-4 East Oct. 19, 2005. The last Titan launch made way for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program set to commence at Vandenberg this year with the launch of Boeing’s Delta IV and Lockheed Martin’s Atlas V vehicles. (Photo by Airman Bryan Boyette)

Titan launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Titian IV Centaur rocket launches here Oct. 19. The rocket is the largest unmanned space booster used by the Air Force. The vehicle carries payloads equivalent to the size and weight of those carried on the space shuttle. (U.S. Air Force photo)