Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 10
| Space Launch Complex 10 | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34 ° 45 ′ 48 ″ N , 120 ° 37 ′ 22 ″ W |
| Type | Orbital Launch Site |
| operator | US Air Force / Royal Air Force |
| Launch pads | 2 |
| Missiles | Thor |
| First start | June 16, 1959 (Thor DM-18A) |
| Last start | July 15, 1980 (Thor DSV-2U 304) |
| Total starts | 38 6 from SLC-10E, 32 from SLC-10W |
| status | inactive |
Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 10 (SLC-10, pronounced "Slick Ten") is a no longer actively used launch site on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California , USA .
history
The launch facilities of SLC-10 were dismantled in the early 1960s and transported to Johnston Atoll , where they were used as part of the Operation Dominic nuclear test series to launch nuclear warheads into the upper layers of the atmosphere with Thor missiles.
After the end of the nuclear weapons tests, the facilities were brought back to Vandenberg and used from 1965 to 1980 to carry out the early starts of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program .
In June 1986, Space Launch Complex 10 was designated a National Historic Landmark .
Launch systems
SLC-10E
The launch pad SLC-10E, older name Launch Emplacement 7 (LE-7), was built in 1958 and was used in the late 1950s to early 1960s to study the technology and launch arrangements of the Thor PGM-17 missile together with the Royal Air Force . which was stationed in Great Britain at the time.
A total of six tests of the Thor missile were carried out by SLC-10W, five of which were successful.
SLC-10W
The launch pad SLC-10W, also known as Launch Emplacement 6 (LE-6) and 4300B6 , was built in 1958 and, like the SLC-10E, was used to test the Thor PGM-17 rocket. However, only one launch with this rocket was carried out from here.
It was only after the reconstruction in 1965 that all other launches within the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program took place from here.
Start list
| date | Time ( UTC ) | Pad | Missile type | serial number | Mission / payload | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 16, 1959 | 21:45 | 10E | Thor DM-18A | 191 | ||
| August 14, 1959 | 19:36 | 10W | Thor DM-18A | 190 | ||
| June 22, 1960 | 23:26 | 10E | Thor DM-18A | 233 | ||
| March 30, 1961 | 05:13 | 10E | Thor DM-18A | 243 | ||
| June 20, 1961 | 23:54 | 10E | Thor DM-18A | 276 | ||
| September 6, 1961 | 22:30 | 10E | Thor DM-18A | 165 | ||
| March 19, 1962 | 23:28 | 10E | Thor DM-18A | 229 | ||
| January 19, 1965 | 05:03 | 10W | Thor MG-18 | 224 | DAPP 10 | Military weather satellite |
| March 18, 1965 | 04:43 | 10W | Thor MG-18 | 306 | DAPP 11 | Military weather satellite |
| May 20, 1965 | 16:30 | 10W | Thor Burner 1 | 282 | DAPP 12 | Military weather satellite |
| September 10, 1965 | 04:41 | 10W | Thor Burner 1 | 213 | DAPP 13 | Military weather satellite |
| January 8, 1966 | 04:48 | 10W | Thor Burner 1 | 251 | DAPP 14 | Military weather satellite |
| March 31, 1966 | 05:41 | 10W | Thor Burner 1 | 147 | DAPP 15 | Military weather satellite |
| September 16, 1966 | 04:36 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 167 | DAPP 1416 (FTV-3) | Military weather satellite |
| February 8, 1967 | 08:00 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 169 | DAPP 2418 (FTV-2) | Military weather satellite |
| June 29, 1967 | 21:01 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 171 | EGRS 9, Aurora 1 | |
| 23rd August 1967 | 04:41 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 266 | DAPP 3419 (FTV-4) | Military weather satellite |
| October 11, 1967 | 07:57 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 268 | DAPP 4417 (FTV-5) | Military weather satellite |
| May 23, 1968 | 04:38 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 277 | DAPP 4B F-1 (FTV-8) | Military weather satellite |
| October 23, 1968 | 04:34 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 173 | DAPP 6422 (FTV-7) | Military weather satellite |
| July 23, 1969 | 04:39 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 279 | DAPP 7421 (FTV-6) | Military weather satellite |
| February 11, 1970 | 08:40 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 287 | DAPP 1524 | Military weather satellite |
| 3rd September 1970 | 08:39 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 288 | DAPP 2525 | Military weather satellite |
| 17th February 1971 | 03:52 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 249 | DMSPDAPP 3526, Calsphere 3A, Calsphere 4, Calsphere 5 | |
| June 8th 1971 | 14:00 | 10W | Thor Burner 2 | 210 | SESP 70-1 | |
| October 14, 1971 | 07:51 | 10W | Thor Burner 2A | 159 | DMSP 4527 | Military weather satellite |
| March 24, 1972 | 08:46 | 10W | Thor Burner 2A | 153 | DMSP 6530 | Military weather satellite |
| November 9, 1972 | 03:23 | 10W | Thor Burner 2A | 294 | DMSP 6530 | Military weather satellite |
| 17th August 1973 | 04:49 | 10W | Thor Burner 2A | 291 | DMSP 7529 | Military weather satellite |
| March 16, 1974 | 08:00 | 10W | Thor Burner 2A | 207 | DMSP 8531 | Military weather satellite |
| August 9, 1974 | 03:22 | 10W | Thor Burner 2A | 275 | DMSP 9532 | Military weather satellite |
| May 24, 1975 | 03:22 | 10W | Thor Burner 2A | 197 | DMSP 10533 | Military weather satellite |
| 19th February 1976 | 07:52 | 10W | Thor Burner 2A | 182 | DMSP 11534 | Military weather satellite |
| September 11, 1976 | 08:00 | 10W | Thor DSV-2U | 172 | AMS 1 | Military weather satellite |
| 5th June 1977 | 02:59 | 10W | Thor DSV-2U | 183 | AMS 2 | Military weather satellite |
| May 1, 1978 | 03:05 | 10W | Thor DSV-2U | 143 | AMS 3 | Military weather satellite |
| June 6, 1979 | 18:22 | 10W | Thor DSV-2U | 264 | AMS 4 | Military weather satellite |
| July 15, 1980 | 02:22 | 10W | Thor DSV-2U | 304 | AMS 5 | Military weather satellite |
Web links
- Vandenberg SLC10W and SLC10E in the Encyclopedia Astronautica (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: California. National Park Service , accessed August 3, 2019.