Lompoc Visitors Guide

Lompoc Valley Visitors Guide 17 T he mission of Vandenberg is to enable space superiority through assured access to space by providing robust, relevant, and efficient spaceport and range capabilities for the Nation. Vandenberg was originally established in 1941 as Camp Cooke near Lompoc, Calif. The camp was an Army training center for armored and infantry troops. Transferred to the Air Force in 1957, Vandenberg began its transformation into a space and missile test facility. In a relatively remote location, Vanden- berg offers an ideal location for safely testing inter - continental ballistic missiles as well as launching satellites into polar orbit without flying over popu - lated areas. Vandenberg launched the world's first polar orbit - ing satellite, the Discoverer 1, a cover for America's first photo reconnaissance program in 1958. The 30th Space Wing, Vandenberg's host unit, supports West Coast launch activities for the Air Force, Department of Defense, National Aeronau- tics and Space Administration, national programs and various private industry contractors. The Wing supports the processing and launch of a variety of expendable vehicles including Atlas V, Delta IV, Delta II, Pegasus, Minotaur, Taurus and Falcon. The Wing also supports Force Development and Evalu- ation of all intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as Missile Defense Agency (MDA) test and opera- tions. Major tenant units at Vandenberg AFB include the Joint Force Space Component for Space (USSTRATCOM), 14th Air Force, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Missile Defense Agency, 381st Training Group, National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Environment - At more than 99,000 acres, the base contains some of the highest quality coastal habitat remaining in central California. With a wealth of valuable cultural and ecological treasures, the base is recognized for leading the way in protecting and preserving its 42 miles of pristine coastline, 9,000 acres of sand dunes, 5,000 acres of wetlands, more than 1,600 irreplaceable prehistoric archeological resources, 14 rock art sites, a National Historic Landmark, five Native American villages, a National Historic Trail, 26 Cold War-era complexes, and protecting and monitoring more than 15 differ - ent endangered or threatened species. Vandenberg Facts: 99,578 acres, 2.84 mile run- way, 3rd largest air force base in the United States, 465 facilities Approximately 7,000+ range operations per year Approximately 2,000 launches to date