Final Delta IV Heavy Launch From Vandenberg Scheduled for Saturday
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (U.S. Space Force PR) – The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command, the National Reconnaissance Office, and United Launch Alliance are preparing to launch a Delta IV Heavy rocket this weekend from Space Launch Complex (SLC)-6at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in northern Santa Barbara County. Scheduled to lift off Sept. 24 at 2:53 p.m. PDT, this will be the final Delta IV Heavy to launch from the West Coast.
“We’re on track to launch another national capability into space. This will be our sixth national security launch this year. We’ve worked alongside ULA to prepare this Delta IV Heavy, and in just a few days, we will see the fruits of our labor.” said Brig. Gen. Stephen Purdy, Program Executive Officer for Assured Access to Space. “These launches place critical capabilities into orbit for our nation and our allies in a time of increasing risks and threats. Every member of our launch team understands what’s at stake and works with both care and efficiency to prepare for what’s going to be a tremendous launch.”
The Atlas/Delta team in El Segundo, Calif., will be performing two launches within weeks of each other with less than half the staff used in the past and a more consolidated engineering approach to both Atlas and Delta missions, across both coasts.
“This team will accomplish an unprecedented feat, and I am very proud of their focused dedication to missions of both the Atlas and Delta launch vehicles,” said Lt. Col. Scott Carstetter, Delta IV Materiel Leader. “In the past, there were two separate teams of fully staffed personnel when close launches occurred.”
SSC is the U.S. Space Force field command responsible for rapidly developing, acquiring, equipping, fielding, and sustaining lethal and resilient space capabilities. SSC mission capability areas include launch acquisition and operations, communications and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), space sensing, battle management command, control and communications (BMC3), and space domain awareness & combat power. SSC is headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, Calif.
14 responses to “Final Delta IV Heavy Launch From Vandenberg Scheduled for Saturday”
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A rocket that could have put us to the Moon 10-12 years ago already, if we actually cared
But still too expensive even with dispersed launches to be sustainable for long stay Moon missions. Have to developed a man-rated Lunar lander and cargo lander as well.
Sure, so the launch market evolves and newer rockets gradually shift in and make your architecture somewhat cheaper.
It’s dumb that we keep postponing actual progress while always tinkering with bigger rockets
HLLVs eliminate Rube Goldberg nonsense
Railroads used to have that attitude, building massive steam engines to pull longer trains. Then they realized diesels, although smaller, worked much better since they offered more flexible options…
Diesels won because they didn’t require a fireman and didn’t ever need to stop for water.
Do they ? Last i checked, NASAs planned lunar landing needs multiple launches and refuelings on orbit
Also i wouldn’t call the International Space Station nonsense
Even at 4 bil a pop, an SLS Block 1B launched ISS would be less than the 150 bil ISS actually cost.
In terms of mass, however you need to take volume into account and the value of the Shuttle’s robotic arm in assembly. That said it is very sad that NASA never went with the Shuttle C to support the regular Shuttle.
Lots of things are very sad. Only what is sad now matters as something which can be better changed going forward.
We build massive buildings and bathroom additions with the same trucks of under 30 ton capacity. Except for singlewide mobile homes and storage sheds, no structures arrive complete on the ground. No reason to expect space to be different.
The structures have to be built somewhere, no reason to restrict it to your congressional district.
Pretending assembly via docking is Rube Goldberg is 1 thing preventing us from already being there.
If you think it’s stupid — but it would work — and nothing else working . . .
. . . it is not what or whom is involved that is stupid.
The last West Coast ride of the incredible self-singeing rocket. I wonder who gets SLC-6 next?
Took it to break the curse. Just the same…I hope Elon stays away from it.
Hey Bezos!