Vandenberg Air Force Base is getting a new name — and a bunch of blastoffs

After 2020 saw a low number of liftoffs, 2021 will bring a busier year at Vandenberg Air Force Base, which also will get a new name.

Col. David Rickards, director of staff for the 30th Space Wing and Western Range at Vandenberg, delivered the annual State of Vandenberg presentation on March 4 looking back at 2020 and ahead at 2021 and beyond.

It marked the second year the annual event hosted by the Santa Maria Valley and Lompoc Valley chambers of commerce occurred virtually rather than as an in-person luncheon.

Last year, Vandenberg conducted five launches — four of unarmed Minuteman III missiles along with a Falcon rocket carrying a NASA spacecraft.

“It was one of the slowest launch tempos we’ve seen in decades,” Rickards said.

Two other missions planned for 2020 slipped into this year, so the manifest projects 13 blastoffs.

“It’s going to be a busy year. It’s quite exciting to see our tempo increase,” Rickards said.

Depending on the launch rate, one mission this fall is likely to land the distinction of being Vandenberg’s 2,000th launch since the late 1950s.

“That’s pretty amazing. That will be a significant milestone for us,” Rickards said.

It includes a soon-to-be-retired Delta IV Heavy rocket, built by United Launch Alliance, with top secret cargo for the National Reconassaince Office planned for the spring and the debut of Firefly Aerospace’s new Alpha rocket. Both are targeting liftoff in April, but specific dates have not been released yet.

A Space Exploration Technologies’ Falcon 9 rocket could see as many as four liftoffs in 2021, while an air-launched Pegasus rocket also is projected to occur.

And military weapons testing also will be busy with at least three Minuteman III missile tests along with a missile-defense test and an Army test.

Rickards also provided a sneak peek at the base’s economic impact — estimated at putting $2.6 billion into local communities, according to a report to be released within weeks.

This busy year of launches will come as the U.S. Space Force takes shape, with a renaming of units and even the base. Last year, Vandenberg’s East Coast counterpart gained its new name, switching from Patrick Air Force Base to Patrick Space Force Base. Likewise, the Central Coast installation will be dubbed Vandenberg Space Force Base.

“We don’t have a date for our name change just yet, but we anticipate this transition happening soon,” Rickards said.

U.S. Space Force became the sixth branch of the military in December 2019, and the organization has gradually formed by adopting a motto of Semper Supra, or Always Above, along with a logo. Space Force falls under the Department of Air Force, much like the Marine Corps falls under Department of Navy.

Additionally, those serving in Space Force have been dubbed Guardians as opposed to airmen while a unit, now known as a wing, has become a delta.

Other units have gained new names while generally keeping their missions. For instance, the 30th Space Wing will become Space Launch Delta 30 before the summer ends.

While some community leaders had hoped to land the headquarters for U.S. Space Command, an Alabama base captured the honor, although the decision has been challenged.

Rickards said the Central Coast has another shot as the Space Force looks for a place to train its newly enlisted members.

“One thing Vandenberg has, as you know, is a lot of land,” Rickards said, adding that he would not be surprised if the base became the home of boot camp for Space Force’s enlisted members, much like Parris Island, South Carolina, serves the role for the U.S. Marine Cops or Lackland AFB in Texas for the Air Force.

Rickards also discussed the push to build partnerships.

“Our mission at Vandenberg is to establish a robust, relevant, efficient spaceport for the nation. In order to do that, we need partnerships,” he said.

That’s why Vandenberg signed a memorandum of understanding with REACH, Cal Poly and other organizations to establish a roadmap for growing the economic impact of the spaceport on the Central Coast.

They also have worked with the State of California to develop a thriving commercial and government spaceport at the base, Rickards said.