Overview
- The Space Force detonated charges on June 16 to remove decades‑old towers and service structures at Space Launch Complex‑6, clearing the site for redevelopment.
- SLC‑6 was outgranted to SpaceX in 2025 and will enter a multi‑month reconstruction phase to be modernized for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy operations, according to base officials.
- SpaceX continues high cadence West Coast launches from nearby SLC‑4E, where a Falcon 9 launched on June 24 to deploy 24 Starlink satellites and returned booster B1081 on its 25th flight.
- Local regulators and residents have raised environmental and noise concerns about more frequent launches, and the California Coastal Commission reached a settlement this spring that included an apology for improper consideration of irrelevant factors.
- SLC‑6’s clearance is the latest step in a six‑decade pattern of repurposing at Vandenberg as commercial firms compete for West Coast access, and some reports say SpaceX may seek much higher annual launch rates from the renovated site though that figure remains unconfirmed.