SpaceX Gets Nod From US Space Force To Add Its Fifth Launch Site In US: Report
SpaceX will launch its Falcon rockets from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, as part of the lease. This is a military launch site located north of Los Angeles.
SpaceX got approval from the United States Space Force on Monday to add the Hawthorne-based aerospace firm's fifth US launch site. With the US Space Force's approval, SpaceX can lease a second rocket launch complex at a military base in California, news agency Reuters reported.
SpaceX will launch its Falcon rockets from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, as part of the lease. The Vandenberg Space Force Base is a military launch site north of Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, SpaceX operates another launch pad. Two other launchpads are located in Florida, and one is located in south Texas. The Texas launch site is called Starbase.
Citing a Space Force statement, a Reuters report said Space Launch Delta 30 commander Colonel Rob Long last week signed a letter of support allowing SpaceX to add another US launch site. But the duration of SpaceX's lease was not mentioned.
The decision comes at a time when rocket companies are preparing to compete for the Pentagon's Phase 3 National Security Space Launch Program. This is a military launch procurement effort expected to start next year.
What kind of spacecraft are launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base?
Spacecraft launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base follow a southern trajectory over the Pacific Ocean, and most of them are used for weather-monitoring or spying purposes. The weather-monitoring or spy satellites are usually dependent on polar Earth orbits. Polar Earth orbits are a type of low-Earth orbits. They are located at low orbits between 100 to 2,000 kilometres.
About US Space Force
The US Space Force, which is the newest branch of the US Armed Forces, was established on December 20, 2019 when the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was signed into a law. The NDAA specifies the annual budget of the US Department of Defense.
The establishment of the US Space Force created the first new branch of the armed services in 73 years. It was the result of widespread recognition of space as a national security imperative, and the fact that near-peer competitors could be a potential threat in space.
The US Space Force is responsible for organising, training, and equipping 'Guardians' to conduct global space operations that enhance the way the nation's joint and coalition forces fight. Members of the USSF are now officially called 'Guardians'. It also offers decision makers military options to achieve national objectives.
Space capabilities have played a major role in determining the way a modern military conducts operations, for the last 60 years. The US military is faster, better connected, more informed, precise, and lethal because of space.
ALSO READ | EXPLAINED: What Is US Space Force? Know Its Goals, Importance & What It Has Achieved So Far
SpaceX’s latest news
Starship, the name for the fully integrated system of the Starship spacecraft and reusable launch vehicle Super Heavy, exploded during its first orbital flight test on April 20, 2023. Starship, designed and manufactured by SpaceX, is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built.
SpaceX launched Starship from Starbase in Texas as part of the first orbital flight test of the rocket. Starship took off into space at 8:33 am CT (7:03 pm IST) on April 20. A few minutes after launch, Starship exploded.
According to SpaceX, Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly before stage separation.
SpaceX has said that teams will continue to review data and work toward their next flight test of Starship.
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