SpaceX takes over historic SLC-6 pad after demolition of 60-year-old towers
Decades-old space shuttle towers at Vandenberg come down for SpaceX Falcon rockets
Space Launch Complex-6 (SLC-6) at Vandenberg Space Force Base—infamous for its canceled human spaceflight programs—was demolished on June 16, 2026, to make way for SpaceX. The controlled explosions brought down the access tower, mobile service tower, and the assembly building adorned with a large American flag. Originally built in 1966 for the Air Force's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL), the site was later repurposed for the space shuttle, with Enterprise briefly stacked there in 1985. But the Challenger tragedy and shifting priorities left SLC-6 without a single crewed launch.
Now, after six decades of unused potential, the pad will host SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy missions, supporting both commercial and national security launches. Col. James Horne III of Space Launch Delta 30 called the demolition a modernization of a historic footprint. SpaceX gains a fully cleared West Coast launch site with existing infrastructure, bolstering its ability to serve the Space Force and meet growing demand for polar and high-inclination launches.
- SLC-6 was built in 1966 for the Air Force's Manned Orbiting Laboratory but canceled before any launches.
- The pad was later modified for the space shuttle but never launched a mission due to the 1986 Challenger disaster.
- Demolition clears the site for SpaceX to use with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets for West Coast launches.
Why It Matters
SpaceX gains a historic West Coast launch pad, boosting capacity for national security and commercial polar orbit missions.