Space Launch Complex 10, or Missile Launch Complex 10, is located on

Vandenberg Space Force Base Vandenberg Space Force Base , previously Vandenberg Air Force Base, is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from th ...

Lompoc, California Lompoc ( ; Chumash: ''Lum Poc'') is a city in Santa Barbara County, California. Located on the Central Coast, Lompoc has a population of 43,834 as of July 2021. Lompoc has been inhabited for thousands of years by the Chumash people, who call ...

. It was built in 1958 to test ballistic missiles and developed into a space launching facility in 1963.DOD NHL details for California
/ref> Prior to 1966 Space Launch Complex 10 West was known as Vandenberg AFB Pad 75-2-6. It remains a rare pristine look at the electronics and facilities created in that era that helped the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

grow its space capabilities. The last launch from this complex was a Thor booster in 1980. It was declared a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1986. It is undergoing an eight-year restoration, and public visits are possible, if arranged in advance.NPS History of Aviation
/ref>

History

The launch complex was built in 1958 by the

Douglas Aircraft Corporation The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer based in Southern California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas; it then operated as ...

, and was first designated Complex 75-2. At that time it consisted of three launch pads, which were used to train military operators of

PGM-17 Thor The PGM-17A Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the United States Air Force (USAF). Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate-range ballistic mi ...

ballistic missiles, and to conduct missile launch tests. The first launches were conducted by the British

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

in June and August 1959. The facilities at SLC-10 were dismantled and transported to

Johnston Island Johnston Atoll is an unincorporated territory of the United States, currently administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Johnston Atoll is a National Wildlife Refuge and part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine Nationa ...

in support of

Operation Dominic Operation Dominic was a series of 31 nuclear test explosions with a total yield conducted in 1962 by the United States in the Pacific. This test series was scheduled quickly, in order to respond in kind to the Soviet resumption of testing af ...

, a nuclear weapons testing project conducted there in 1962. The launch complex was rebuilt in 1963 to support the development of

Burner Burner may refer to: * Gas burner, coal burner or oil burner, a mechanical device that burns a gas or liquid fuel in a controlled manner ** Laboratory gas burners: *** Bunsen burner *** Meker–Fisher burner *** Teclu burner ** Hot-air balloon ...

rockets, with two launch pads, designated SLC-10E and SLC-10W. Tests were conducted at SLC-10W from 1965 to 1980, using the Thor satellite launch vehicles, the first stages of which followed the design of the Thor missile.

Surviving elements

Two launch pads and a prefabricated launch blockhouse are the principal surviving elements of the complex. The blockhouse interior still includes all of the electrical equipment used in later launches. SLC-10W also includes pipes and storage facilities for storing and managing the liquid fuel used in the rockets.

References

External links

Aviation: From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms, a National Park Service ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' Travel ItineraryDOD NHL details for California
{{Vandenberg Air Force Base launch sites Launch complexes of the United States Space Force Vandenberg Space Force Base Buildings and structures in Santa Barbara County, California National Historic Landmarks in California National Register of Historic Places in Santa Barbara County, California Science and technology in California 1958 establishments in California

History

Surviving elements

References

Further reading

External links