Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2

Space Launch Complex 2 (SLC-2) is an active rocket launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, USA. It consists of two launch pads. The East pad (SLC-2E) was used for Delta, Thor-Agena and Thorad launches between 1966 and 1972 and has been demolished.[1] The West pad (SLC-2W) was used for Delta, Thor-Agena and Delta II launches from 1966 until 2018, when the Delta II performed its last flight.[2][3]

Space Launch Complex 2
Delta II at SLC-2W, with Gravity Probe B
Launch siteVandenberg SFB
Location34.7545°N
120.6198°W
Short nameSLC-2
OperatorUS Space Force
Total launches148
Launch pad(s)2
Orbital inclination
range		51° – 145°
SLC-2W launch history
StatusActive pending upgrades
Launches96
First launch17 September 1959
PGM-17 Thor
Last launch3 September 2021
Firefly Alpha / DREAM
Associated
rockets		PGM-17 Thor
Thor-Agena
Delta
Delta II
Firefly Alpha
SLC-2E launch history
StatusInactive
Launches52
First launch16 December 1958
PGM-17 Thor
Last launch12 March 1972
Delta N / TD-1A
Associated
rockets		PGM-17 Thor
Delta
Thor-Agena
Thorad-Agena

SLC-2W has been repurposed to launch Firefly Alpha for Firefly Aerospace and on October 15, 2020 the Delta II mobile service tower suffered a fire during demolition.[4] The maiden flight of Firefly Alpha took place on September 3, 2021 and resulted in a flight failure.[5]

Space Launch Complex 2 was originally part of Launch Complex 75. The first launch out of the newly designated Space Launch Complex 2 was that of a Delta E with ESSA-3 on 2 October 1966 from SLC-2E.[6]

SLC-2E and SLC-2W are located approximately 2,000 feet (610 m) apart.[7]

References
  1. "Space Launch Complex 2 East". Air Force Space & Missile Museum. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  2. "SPACE LAUNCH COMPLEX 2 WEST". Air Force Space & Missile Museum. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  3. Graham, William (15 September 2018). "Delta II concludes amazing legacy with ICESat-2 launch". NASA Space Flight. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  4. "One of my Dad's FB friends who used to work on Delta and at the MST at SLC-2 posted this.s[ It looks like Firefly while taking it apart a fire broke out and it looks uncontrolled". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  5. Neal, Mihir (2 September 2021). "Firefly Aerospace's maiden flight of Alpha launch vehicle ends in failure". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  6. Wade, Mark. "Vandenberg SLC2E". Astronautix. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  7. "Archived copy". www.fas.org. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)


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