Vandenberg Air Force Base , in central California northwest of Los Angeles, is a 99,600-acre facility that launches rockets from both its North and South Base. The location allows the base to both launch test missiles over the Pacific Ocean and launch satellites into polar orbit —Discoverer I, the world’s first polar satellite, launched from the base in 1959. It hosts launches of commercial rockets, including SpaceX’s Falcon 9, ULA’s Delta and Atlas V, and Orbital ATK’s Minotaur, and also hosts test launches of unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Base access isn’t necessary to see Vandenberg’s many launches, in fact, “probably the best places to watch launches at Vandenberg are actually off base,” said Pritchard, the director of the Vandenberg Space and Missile Technology Center. Rockets launching from the north and south sides of the base will head in different directions, which will affect viewing, he told Space.com.
The officially recommended public viewing site is near Vandenberg’s main gate, off of Corral Road. Vandenberg’s website offers more specific directions. Pritchard also recommended the park at Providence Landing and a mountain road called Harris Grade (which is good for south Vandenberg launches). That site has the added bonus of being above the area’s sometimes-dense fog. [Launch Photos: Huge Delta 4-Heavy Rocket Soars with Secret NROL-65 Satellite ]
Viewers in locations south of Vandenberg, like Santa Barbara, are able to see polar-orbit-bound rockets streaking overhead, Pritchard added.
The Vandenberg area is tricky, Cooper said, because of the mountains and frequent fog.
“There’s really no place you can go where you can see the pads, because it’s a mountainous area,” Cooper said. “The closest you can get to is Atlas — it’s even closer than at the Cape, because they keep the road open that runs right outside the gate…and the rocket pops up from behind the mountains. It’s the same thing with Falcon, Delta — wherever you go it will pop up behind the mountains.”
The road he recommended, W Ocean Avenue, closes at a certain point as it approaches the base, and viewers can pull off to the side to watch. It’s also possible to watch from relatively far-away Santa Ynez Peak, and a county park location called Jalama Beach, when the park is open. (Because it’s a county park, you have to pay to get in or rent a campsite.)
Public areas within sight of the launch can fill up, and Pritchard recommended arriving at least an hour beforehand, especially for locations where you’ll have to park and walk further. He said that social media sites like Reddit and Twitter will often have discussions where people share news about the launch and potential sites, and so they can be a valuable resource to plan where to go and when to get there (and to find out when a launch will occur). Be sure to dress warmly, in layers, and bring a camp chair — and prepare to meet the other rocket enthusiasts who congregate to watch the base’s launches.
And again, he warned, be sure to check online resources for updates on the launch times and schedules, which can frequently change. “There are a lot of variables: there are mechanical variables, there are weather variables, and all of those things will change,” he said. “Our primary mission is to make sure that we can do this safely, and to make sure it’s safe for the community, and we have assured, safe access to space. People get the chance to come out and see this, but understanding that first and foremost we’ve got to make sure that we can get there, and all the resources are protected still.”
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