The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently signed a decision allowing aerospace company SpaceX to increase rocket launches out of Vandenberg Space Force Base. The uptick is necessary to meet commercial and federal space launch requirements, according to the decision.
SpaceX can increase Falcon 9 launches from 50 to 100 per year, including up to five launches of Falcon Heavy, which has yet to blast off from Vandenberg. A second launch pad, Space Launch Complex (SLC)-6, will support the additional launches along with the previously used SLC-4.
Signed on Oct. 16, the FAA’s decision also lets SpaceX build a new 62,000-square-foot hangar and a road to the launch pad.
With the increase in launches, the FAA aims “to enhance the resilience and capacity of the nation’s space launch infrastructure, while promoting a robust and competitive national space industry,” the decision states. “The U.S. seeks to provide greater launch and landing capabilities and infrastructure to support national security objectives, including deploying satellites and other space assets.”
There were two other actions the FAA considered before making its decision. One proposal was similar to what was adopted, but instead of constructing a hangar, an existing facility would’ve been modified to use as a hangar. The third option was not to take any action to increase launches of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
Falcon 9 is capable of re-flight, allowing the most expensive parts of the rocket to be reused, according to the SpaceX website. It’s designed to transport loads of more than 50,000 pounds into the low Earth orbit, where many satellites orbit.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, new to Vandenberg, can lift more than 140,000 pounds of payload into the low Earth orbit. With three reusable Falcon 9 engine cores, Falcon Heavy generates 5 million pounds of thrust during liftoff, SpaceX states on its website. It’ll launch from SLC-6 at Vandenberg. SpaceX considers it one of the most powerful operational rockets in the world.
Neither Vandenberg nor SpaceX responded to the Sun’s requests for comment before press time.
Following the National Environmental Policy Act, the U.S. Department of the Air Force issued a 179-page environmental impact statement. The report addressed issues including air and water quality, biological resources, and waste management. The FAA determined that the increase in launches complies with federal environmental policies.
Prior to the final decision, the Air Force held three public comment hearings in June in Lompoc, Ventura, and Santa Barbara.
The Santa Barbara chapter of the Surfrider Foundation participated in the meetings, according to the chapter’s chair, Stephanie Boshers.
“Surfrider is dismayed about the apparent rubber-stamping of plans to dramatically increase rocket launches,” Boshers said in an email to the Sun. “Space Force is planning to move forward with this increase without providing the environmental monitoring or mitigation tracking needed to truly assess potential harm to wildlife and humans from sonic booms, marine debris, and public access closures.”
This article appears in Oct 30 – Nov 6, 2025.