State of Vandenberg 2026: More Launches, More Outreach, Strong Future
Jarrod Zinn
LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) – Vandenberg hosted its ‘State Of The Base’ conference today.
It’s a busy time for Vandenberg.
The base celebrated a record number of launches last year, and announced plans to push the envelope even further.
Base commander Colonel Horne and other high ranking officials outlined future plans and innovative goals for leading departments.
“The steps that we’re taking to integrate not only our other mission partners across the services, but also the allies that we have, and integrating them into our missions is really, really starting to take hold,” says Deputy Combined Joint Force Space Component Commander for U.S. Space Forces – Space (S4S) Brig. Gen. Kyle Paul. “And I think over the course of the next year and beyond, we’re really going to see that expand.”
The base hopes to reach one hundred launches from private and commercial vendors this year, with a vision to triple that in the coming years.
“We launched 71 times last year,” says Vandenberg’s Commander Col. James T. Horne III. “We conducted 76 major test range operations. That’s including the 71 launches. And then the other five would be the X-37 landing we did. And then several hypersonic vehicle tests from a company called Stratolaunch.”
They’re also working on ways to increase community engagement, to facilitate the public’s understanding of the crucial role space plays in people’s everyday lives.
“We can’t function in our current society without the effects of space,” says Gen. Paul. “Whether it be our banking, you know, using your GPS in your car, your satellite phones, it really permeates every single facet of life.”
Col. Horne says what he calls the “second space race” looks promising, despite some challenges such as aging infrastructure.
“The investment we’re putting into the infrastructure on the base, the 861 million, a part of that is a project to increase the size of our air tower,” says Col. Horne.
Also, a new presentation series that debuted in Lompoc last month called “Mission Update” will be held soon in Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Ojai.
Base leaders say Vandenberg is striving to balance national security with community stewardship.
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